Yesterday
by Lingren
Summary: A VIP, crucial to the Stargate Programme, insists on meeting with SG1, despite the recent loss of one of its members. Home at last.
1. Chapter 1

_Here you are folks – A new story for you to digest. I had a few spare moments ('cos it's pouring with rain here and no fun going places) to download the first chapter to whet your appetite._

Category: Angst, AU, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Romance.

Warnings: Possible confusion? Character's demise.

Pairings: Jack/Sam.

Season: AU 6, Without Jonas Quinn, Set about half way through the season.

Spoilers: Stargate the movie, Children of the Gods, Solitudes, 1969, 48 Hours, Frozen.

Summary: An important VIP, who is a crucial figure in the financial backing of the Stargate programme, wants to meet SG-1. Though tragedy is waiting for them in the wings, he refuses to be deterred by a little thing like the death of one of its members.

_Author's Notes: This is purely a fictional AU account of SG-1 and in no way reflects anything actually dealt with in the series. Although it is set in season 6, it involves Daniel, who in this AU version never died in Meridian so therefore never ascended; and Jack is still host to Kanan. _

**_Italics_**...indicate the internal conversation between the host and his Tok'ra symbiote.

YESTERDAY.

by Lingren.

**Please read the Author's Notes first, otherwise this won't make a whole lot of sense!**

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away  
Now it looks as though they're here to stay  
Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be,  
There's a shadow hanging over me.  
Oh, yesterday came suddenly.

Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play.  
Now I need a place to hide away.  
Oh, I believe in yesterday.

SATURDAY 1800hrs.

**I looked around me, wondering where the hell I was. I was in some kind of a warehouse. Boxes and crates stood piled high around me. Another thing I came to realise was that I was alone. So very much alone with the silent gate. I felt confused; where had everyone gone? What the hell had happened? I wondered. Falling back on my training, I scouted out the lay of the land. Guards were patrolling everywhere. They looked familiar, yet they were different. My leg hurt like the blazes and constantly threatened to give way on me, but I pushed aside the pain. The tingling graze on my shoulder I could forget, it was nothing more than that. It wasn't anything I couldn't handle and I had other, more important things on my mind as I waited; and waited. Hours passed by and still no-one came for me. I didn't believe they could do this to me. It merely confirmed my hypothesis...that I was on my own and there was no way for me to get home again. Not now, nor would I for a long time to come, maybe never.**

**I became aware of that soft inner voice calming me; assuring me that all was not lost. I called its bluff, snorting at my own misfortune. Again, the inner voice calmed my temper and persuaded me that while I was here, I should make the most of my knowledge and use it wisely. It had a point, I reasoned. What else could I do? So I limped quietly into the dark night and merged into the background in order to live out the rest of my life as discreetly and unobtrusively as I could. After all, it was going to be for a good cause, I was reminded. That small voice in my head would have to be my sole salvation over the coming years; else I might have ended it there and then. It was only the thought of returning to her, that kept me from giving up. Somewhere, I knew she was waiting, searching for me, and it spurred me on.**

PREVIOUS MONDAY

"Come on Carter. This is me we're talking about here," Colonel Jonathon (Jack) O'Neill sighed rubbing his long thin hands over his face and through his wayward grey hair with something akin to exasperation. Then he held them out, palms up in a plea to be understood because Sam Carter just wasn't taking this seriously. "You know me and words, we don't mix too well."

"_Come on Jack, how could you not get this right?" _Kanan complained. _"You want me to dictate?"_

"_Hey! Butt out, Kanan! This is hard enough without you poking your slimy nose in! Go to sleep or something and give me a break!" _Jack snapped back.

Kanan huffed and muttered about his host about being an ungrateful Hassak, which his host ignored, then retreated into the back of Jack's consciousness, leaving him free to concentrate his efforts on Sam.

"So let me get this right! After all this time, you're actually asking me out? Why now?" Sam grinned. She was so enjoying his discomfort.

"No! Yes! Damnit Carter. Because I can now, Hammond said the President gave us the go ahead, okay. Take pity on an old guy please. Humour me. It's been years since I asked anyone out. I'm a little rusty," he pleaded softly so as not to be overheard outside the lab. "Just say yes or no."

"To a movie?"

Jack drew in a shaky breath and straightened up, sliding his hands into his pockets to keep them from picking something up and possibly breaking it under the tension he was feeling. He was wishing now that he'd kept his mouth shut, she seemed to be mocking him slightly, making him feel like an inexperienced acne faced teenager all over again, maybe he'd read her wrongly. After all this time spent tap dancing round the issue, perhaps she had changed her mind.

Only she had this power to throw him for six apparently. 'For cryin' out loud,' he remonstrated to himself, as he realised that he was exceedingly nervous doing this. He'd spent months agonising over this very situation and he thought he'd mastered the simple request, but now it seemed to him that she was making the most of his ineptness over finding the right words. Whether she knew it or not, her whole demeanour was making him feel 2 inches tall, not '6 feet' 2 inches.

"Isn't that what people do these days?" he asked, a deep frown lining his face with worry now, wondering if he had made some ridiculous faux pas. It only added weight to the problems of feeling his age, though Kanan had pretty much guaranteed that his body wouldn't deteriorate to anything worse now he was running the show, and his knees felt great.

"Yes sir, I guess they do," she answered sweetly.

"And? So?" he demanded, impatiently waiting for her answer.

"When?" she asked innocently, as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

"Carter, for someone with an IQ of an inordinately, and not to mention appallingly high number, sometimes I wonder," he said acerbically. "We only have one night off this week before we go on our next mission Carter. Think about it and then let me know. I'll be in my office when you finally figure it out,"

"_I thought you said she was a genius?" Kanan's disbelieving voice echoed through his thoughts._

"_She is!"_

"_So...!"_

"_She knows Hiss. It's just her way. She'll be along later," _Jack sighed.

"_Sure?"_

"_Positive!"_

"_If you say so..."_

"_I do! So quit buggin' me. I know her, alright!"_

"_I'm just saying..."_

"_Well don't!" _Jack snapped impatiently.

Jack straightened up from leaning over her workbench after grouching at her and then he sauntered out the door without a backwards glance, just happy to get away so that he could regain his equilibrium again. Mostly though, he felt he needed to save face in her eyes, covering up his real feelings by being his usual sarcastic self.

Major Sam Carter grinned widely behind his back, and shook her head. She just loved to tease him, and the thing was, despite his streetwise approach to life in general, he was just so gullible with her and fell for it every time. With anyone else, his temper would have snapped long before it had gone this far, but in her hands...he was putty. Just lately, she couldn't put a foot wrong in his eyes. She sighed with happiness at the though of actually going out with him on a date. Sort of. He'd been more succinct about the whole thing, getting tongue tied with embarrassment before he finally got the somewhat terse request out.

Oh, he was sooo not used to dealing with this side of life, and it showed. Put him in command with several subordinates beneath him and he could rattle their brains with his constant cynical comments on their inept abilities, but get him to open up about anything personal and he became unglued at the seams then clammed up with that infamous scowl of his; which to her eyes, made him look even more adorable.

Sam just knew she would have to make it up to him, but she was having way too much fun right now. He'd actually gotten around to asking her out, and that was something she had longed for, for months, well, maybe years if she was honest with herself, but until recently, she hadn't expected him to feel the same way she had. Anise, alias the Tok'ra Freya, had tested them all on that infernal machine of hers, ages ago, and he had had to spill the beans about his true feelings for her, or be considered a danger to others as well as himself, along with her too. The feelings were mutual. The confession worked wonders in more ways than she could ever imagine. Now things were looking up.

Jumping up from the stool, Sam hummed a merry ditty as she walked from the room, her destination? Jack's office of course!

OoOoOoOoO

SATURDAY 0700hrs.

"So Jack, how'd it go?" asked a very curious Daniel Jackson when he greeted Jack the morning after the big date.

"_Like a dream Daniel! Sam was really..." _Kanan murmured intruding into Jack's thoughts and making him smile inwardly at the memory.

"How did what go?" Jack replied, pre-occupied as he discordantly hummed his way down the corridor with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Jack!" Daniel growled as he adjusted his stride to match the long loping ones of his friend.

"What?"

"Last night? Remember? Sam?"

"_Of course he remembers Daniel. Just tell him Jack!"_

"_No way!" _Jack snorted._ "This is sooo much more fun!"_

"Oh! That," Jack shrugged. "It was okay," he answered nonchalantly.

"It was okay? What kind of answer is that?"

"It's the only one you're getting Daniel."

"Jack!" Daniel pleaded, desperate to know how things stood between his friends.

Kanan sniggered inside his head.

"_I see what you mean."_

"Nope. No details Daniel."

"Okay. I'll just go tell Mahoney that you're not allowed to have any 'cake' for the next week or so," Daniel reasoned.

Jack stopped abruptly, the tuneless melody arrested in his throat; swallowed like a summer bug during a conversation.

"_Whoohoo! That stopped you in your tracks! Nice one Daniel!"_ Kanan chuckled.

"_Can it, slime butt!"_

Kanan grinned; he loved this part of his host's personality. He was sooo enjoying all this banter.

"You wouldn't?" he warned. "Daniel!"

The Archaeologist smiled very smugly.

"Try me!" he teased.

"Daniel!"

"Hmmm?"

"Daniel!" he warned again, only louder.

Kanan figuratively sat back relishing the game as it progressed.

"I know my name Jack. Just don't wear it out!"

"Dan..." Jack was about to repeat the name again, but stopped himself in time.

"Ack!" Daniel held a finger up quickly to forestall his friend, warning him against saying it once more.

Jack looked across at the genius linguist for a moment and then it was his turn to smirk smugly.

"You forgot the 'J' Daniel. My name begins with a 'J'. As in 'J'ack, Jack!" Jack said urbanely as matter of fact. He was grinning widely now at rendering Daniel speechless in the process, his friend's mouth left gaping open. "I think I already know your name. Isn't it about time you got mine right?" he feigned a scowl, turning to continue on his way once more, trying not break into a laugh but resumed the tuneless humming again instead.

"You sure you haven't cut yourself today by any stroke of luck?" Daniel asked disparagingly. 'Ooh, Jack was so sharp today. Last night must have been good,' he thought, grinning.

"Don't you have an old rock to go play with? Ya know, like, getting some work done instead of bugging me?" Jack called back over his shoulder without stopping.

"Pot calling the kettle black, Jack!" he yelled after his friend as Jack disappeared round the corner, leaving Daniel standing outside his room shaking his head, a bemused expression on his face.

"_Well that was fun! Can we do it again?" _

"_No!"_

"_Spoilsport!"_

Jack growled. The snake was growing more like him every day, catching his mannerisms and speech. Kanan was becoming his very own echo.

A moment later, the speakers mounted on the walls throughout the base burst into life with a message.

"SG-1 report to the briefing room! SG-1 report to the briefing room!"

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks for the reviews guys. Hope you enjoy chapter 2 as much. There is a plot, I swear; it's building up gradually._

YESTERDAY.

by Lingren.

**_Italics_**...indicate the internal conversation between the host and his Tok'ra symbiote.

Previously:

"SG-1 report to the briefing room! SG-1 report to the briefing room!"

Chapter 2

A second later Jack hurried back to find Daniel still standing where he left him.

"_What's up now?" _Kanan asked seriously.

"_How the hell should I know? I'm not psychic ya know!"_

"_You know Jack; you're so charming on occasions!" _

"_You know what you can do then? Get out of the kitchen if it's too hot!" Jack hissed._

Kanan sighed and retreated silently, leaving Jack to his thoughts.

Jack placed a hand on the young man's shoulder, tugging at him and muttering under his breath.

"C'mon Daniel, move it!"

"What's going on Jack?"

"How the hell do I know?" Jack yelled aloud this time, as he sped along the hallway.

Daniel hurried after his friend and they arrived in the designated room at the same time that Sam and Teal'c appeared, both climbing up the stairs from the control room.

When Sam's eyes caught and locked with Jack's, they couldn't help grinning widely at each other, and it was at that little exchange that Daniel had his assumption confirmed.

General Hammond emerged from his office two minutes later, ordering them to take a seat.

"What's up sir?" Jack asked, getting straight down to business.

"_That's what I want to know too!"_ Kanan demanded.

Jack tuned his symbiote out while he wondered what was wrong this time, they were due to go off-world soon and he wondered if now it would be cancelled or deferred.

Hammond surveyed his best team, allowing his eyes to settle briefly over each one before he spoke.

"It's okay people, there's nothing amiss," he reassured them. "But I do have something important to tell you all," he paused for a moment, thinking about how he was going to break the news and how the team would take it, especially Jack. "I've had a request from the President. He's given his approval for a special VIP to visit the SGC. One who wants, more specifically, to meet with SG-1."

"General..." Jack began to interrupt, but Hammond held up a hand to fend his questions off.

"_Is that it? So what's the big deal here? Why all the fuss?"_ Kanan gasped in astonishment.

"_Try shutting up and then we'll both find out!"_ Jack snapped impatiently at his symbiote.

"I know what you're thinking Colonel, but without this man's earnest support, the SGC would have folded after the first few months. He is almost exclusively responsible for our continued finances."

"So just who are we talking about here sir?" Jack asked when Hammond had finished.

"His name is John Ryan. He's a big financier out there in the world of Wall Street. He's a very wealthy man."

"Isn't he that Billionaire philanthropist who's something of a recluse and rarely leaves his penthouse?" Daniel asked, vaguely recalling the name from somewhere.

Hammond nodded.

"He's not been seen in public much, if at all. He has several assistants who run all his errands for him. The fact that he's actually coming here to meet you is a little strange I'll admit, but he isn't getting any younger apparently and wishes to see you all before it's too late... His words not mine. He is reported to be in his seventies now, though I believe he is still spry for his age. Has a personal trainer and gym, so I heard. Of course the President wants him to be treated with the utmost respect, given his hold over the project's purse strings as it were."

"Oh here we go! As if Kinsey's interfering wasn't enough! Now we have to contend ourselves with another meddler? He'll probably decide he won't want to finance us any longer." Jack grumbled.

"_You really think that he'll withdraw all the money which will in effect close the Stargate programme?"_ asked Kanan, worried about his host's future.

"_It's possible. Who knows? What I do know is that you and I are not gonna find it comfortable living on Earth if they do,"_ Jack growled.

"Why us? Why just SG-1?" Jack insisted aggrieved. "Why not the other teams? They're just as important too."

Hammond knew it was going to be a difficult request for Jack to accept. The Colonel hated all things that detracted from the job at hand. Talking with any VIP wasn't a strong point in O'Neill's book. He didn't have time for Financiers or Politicians alike.

"Jack, it's just for the afternoon. A few hours, that's all. Moreover, SG-1's exploits are his main concern. From what I can gather, he has read every one of SG-1's mission reports and is very knowledgeable about each and every one of you. Don't ask me how or why, but that's the way it is. Beyond that, I know absolutely nothing about him."

"When is his visit due sir?" Sam asked a little too enthusiastically. She was curious about the rather strange and obscure VIP. He intrigued her, and she loved a mystery, one where she was hoping to discover something about him if she could.

Jack turned and frowned at her seeming interest in some ancient fossil with more money than he could poke a stick at; and who pushed his nose in where it wasn't wanted.

"Next week Major. A couple of days after your return from P2Z 698. The whole of the SGC will have to be cleared of non-essential personnel that day. He wishes to remain anonymous, and it is not his desire to meet with anyone other than ourselves."

"If you ask me sir, he sounds a little eccentric. You know; a few fries short of a happy meal," Jack groaned. He really didn't like this idea. "This really sucks General. I mean; if we let one of those Bozos down here, then we'll have a whole bunch of them lining up to take a peek. It'll be like working in a zoo...sir! Did I mention this was a bad idea?"

"Rest assured Jack, this is a one off. I made that quite clear to the President, but he was adamant that we should 'humour' this man. Without him, you'd still be retired."

"Oh, I can't wait sir," Jack muttered, slumping back in his chair. He picked up his pen and twirled it with his long fingers, needing to take his irritability out on something.

"With what you said earlier, I don't think I want to know what he has in mind," Daniel muttered softly.

"Right!" Hammond sighed. He glanced down at his watch, time was getting on. "SG-1, you had best get yourselves geared up. Your mission is due to leave in less than 40 minutes. Dismissed."

"Yes sir!" Jack was up and on his way to the door before the words had left his mouth. He wasn't too keen on being looked over by a multi-millionaire like a pet poodle at a dog show. He wasn't exactly agreeable with the whole idea of letting people like 'him' into the complex or letting him in on the biggest secret in the world. No-one was supposed to know of the SGC's existence, except a very few politicians, the Joint Chiefs and the President himself.

"He sounds like a really pompous and pretentious old...shrub!" Jack muttered to the others as they waited for the elevator. The comment elicited grins on two of his team's faces and one raised eyebrow on the other.

OoOoOoOoO

SATURDAY 1100hrs.

The wormhole blinked out of existence, leaving SG-1 in sudden silence, and standing on the gate's stone platform amid a sea of tall grasses.

Far off to the north, or what could be classed as north on this planet, there was a range of low hills. That's where they were headed.

Jack stood poised on the threshold of the gate and surveyed the lie of the land. He couldn't see any sign of habitation or activity. Breathing a sigh of relief, he stepped from the dais and stood knee deep in long grass that rustled softly in the light breeze.

"Ya think the welcoming committee forgot to mow the lawn?"

"Then it's obvious that they don't get that many visitors sir," Sam speculated.

"It appears that no-one has travelled this way in many months. I see no sign of tracks," Teal'c's deep voice rumbled in the still atmosphere.

"Look on the bright side Jack; at least it's not raining!" Daniel added. After their last mission had been a fiasco of rain, hail, sleet, thunder and lightning, floods and seismic activity, this looked like paradise.

"There is that I guess!" Jack agreed wholeheartedly.

"I'm not picking up any signals sir. Maybe we're just too far away," Sam stated, looking at the palm sized scanner in her hand.

"Okay. So, no yellow brick road to follow huh?"

"No sir," she grinned.

"Teal'c you got our six. Carter, lead the way," Jack smirked, executing a deep bow with a flourish of his cap, making Sam giggle.

Daniel rolled his eyes, and their commander's gesture left Teal'c wondering if O'Neill was perhaps sickening for something.

They started off on their hike, though Jack's gaze was centred on the Major walking a metre or so in front of them. Daniel hurried to catch up to Jack and matched his steps to those of Jack's long strides, seemingly unhampered by the tall gently swaying grass.

"So, it was good then?" Daniel nudged his friend.

"Hmmm?" Jack murmured not taking his eye off Sam. "What?" he asked suddenly realising that Daniel had asked him 'that' question and turned to frown at his friend.

"You and Sam. It must have been good the way you two are...acting."

"_You can say that again Danny boy!"_

"_Oh who woke you up? Butt out slime ass!"_

"_Well, if I could get a word in edgeways, I'd tell him for you..."_

"_Oh no you don't! It's none of his business! And neither is it any of yours!" _

"_You'd prefer that I found a woman of my own?"_

Jack couldn't think of a suitable answer to that right now, but he could see the outcome very clearly. He didn't think Sam would be very pleased about the prospect of sharing his body with another woman even if Kanan was the one in charge at the time.

"Daniel, what part of 'I'm not telling you!' don't you understand?"

"It's more a case of not understanding why you're not telling me!" Daniel sighed.

Jack growled softly in frustration.

"I'm still not telling you, so forget it!"

"_You know Jack…you're no fun. I want to see his face when you tell him about the..."_

"_No way! Not if you want to stay in this body you don't!"_

"_You wouldn't!"_

"_Wanna try me?"_

"_Well it was worth a try,"_ Kanan sighed in defeat.

"You know Jack; you're no fun these days!" Daniel said with a sigh, unconsciously echoing Kanan's very words.

"We're on a mission Daniel!" he huffed, as if that explained everything; and which meant he really should survey the land and not Carter's..._ahem_. He dragged his eyes away with difficulty.

Daniel fell quiet and after a moment, Jack broke into the awkward silence, more to take his mind of last night, and help him concentrate on the job at hand.

"So, Daniel, tell me what these ruins are supposed to be like?" Jack asked, changing the subject. He knew, well he was hoping, that Daniel would forget all about his love life and concentrate on his favourite subject. Even if it did mean a boring journey ahead.

He was right.

Daniel droned on about how the settlement looked to be of Mayan origins or something like that, but Jack wasn't really paying him much attention.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

_Thank you to all of you who Read, and Reviewed this. But I'm starving here folks…please R & R! _

_Sophiedb – This John Ryan has nothing to do with Clansy's novels. It was just a name I picked out of my head, and you will get the reason why later in the story. I'm not giving anything away here at this point._

YESTERDAY.

by Lingren.

**_Italics_**...indicate the internal conversation between Jack and his Tok'ra symbiote.

_Previously: _

Daniel droned on about how the settlement looked to be of Mayan origins or something like that. Jack wasn't really paying him much attention.

Chapter 3

They walked on for what seemed like miles before Jack called a halt. He was hungry and his ears were burning from Daniel's assault, which hadn't let up one bit all the way.

Peace reigned; until Kanan started that is.

"_Hey! Has he finished chattering at last? I swear that man could talk the hind leg off a donkey!"_

"_For now, yeah!" _Jack sighed. So much for having a little peace and quiet!

"_I had to shut him out; he was giving me a headache!"_ Kanan complained.

"_Oh boy does that have a familiar ring to it!"_ Jack quipped, meaning Kanan's constant chatter too.

"_I hope that wasn't a reflection on my presence Hassak?"_

"_Now whatever gave you that idea Hiss?"_

"_I wonder?"_

"_This was sooo not my idea!"_

"_Maybe not, but you've got to admit, you'd miss me!"_

"_No I wouldn't!" _Jack replied forcefully

"_Would!"_

"_Not!"_

"_Would!"_

"_Oh fer cryin' out loud! Go back to sleep will ya. Give me a break!" _Jack grouched.

"_Ooh! Tetchy!"_

"Hiss!" Jack yelled aloud unintentionally.

All heads turned at looked at him.

"Jack?"

"Colonel?"

Teal'c didn't say anything; he just did that eyebrow thing, which said more than words ever could.

Jack threw his hands up into the air in frustration, and stood up.

"He's drivin' nuts okay!" he griped, turning away from his friends to pack away his canteen. It was time to move on again.

There was no need for him to explain anything, they all knew whom he was talking about. It took some getting used to, to hear Jack converse aloud with his symbiote on occasions. It was something they were all adjusting to.

Sam studied his back guiltily, before stowing her own things away. Implanting Jack with a Tok'ra symbiote had been her responsibility. She may not have come up with the idea, but 'she' was the person who had talked him into it. He'd done it for her when she'd pleaded with him to accept it and not die, and now she could only feel that his melancholy regret was all her fault.

Suddenly, and without any of them noticing, the quiet air was rent with lightning, followed by an almighty crash of thunder.

"Oh that's just great!" Jack muttered, looking up at the rapidly darkening sky. He hadn't noticed how cloudy it had become. He delved into his pack, digging out his rain poncho just as the heavens opened and did its best to drown them. "You were saying Daniel? Something about 'looking on the bright side?' No rain?" he yelled above the noise.

Daniel felt guilty. It's not as if the weather had anything to do with him. He didn't exactly want it to turn stormy. Jack was obviously blaming him for it though. Ever since the General had informed them of this VIP's visit, Jack had been in a foul mood.

A cold wind picked up and blew the rain straight into their faces as they walked. Jack stopped suddenly; enough was enough!

"Okay!" Jack yelled, calling them to a halt. "Carter you found anything?"

"No sir, nothing!"

"That's it then! We are sooo outta here!" Jack yelled above the roaring gale and the pouring rain. "We'll flag this 'paradise' as a dead loss!"

"But...!" Daniel spluttered.

"No Daniel! You can always come back another day. We're going back! Now!"

He did an about turn and retreated back towards the gate. The others followed suit, and not one of them complained about the latest order. Jack had had enough! Besides no-one felt like arguing the toss with Jack in the mood he was in right now. Sam for one was happy to obey; she hadn't discovered a damn thing so far and she was cold and soaked through already. Daniel was unhappy at the missed opportunity but had resigned himself to his fate that Jack had more or less promised him they'd come back another time.

It was a long, wet, wordless trek back to the gate, and it seemed to take them twice as long. The lightning grew in intensity and the thunder louder and instantaneous. The storm was right overhead now. The long grasses whipped viciously at their legs as they hurried through it, adding to their discomfort.

"Jack!"

"What?"

"Do you think it's wise to open the gate up in this?" Daniel asked as they approached the Stargate.

"Daniel, I don't know; and right now, I don't care. We need to get out of this and that's the only place to go!" Jack pointed towards the silent gate, and had to shout in order to be heard. "Just dial it up Daniel!"

"_He's right, you know Jack!"_

"_Shut up Kanan! We're gettin' out of here! Even if it's the last thing I do; my team goes home."_

Kanan sighed but refrained from making any further comment with Jack being in such a bad mood as he was.

Daniel looked across at Sam and she gave a minute shrug. If Jack saw the gesture, he never mentioned it. Perhaps, Sam wondered, she might be able to chat with Jack when they got back. The proposed visit of the VIP seemed to be upsetting him more than she thought it possible, and she wanted to find out why.

"Sir..."

"Damn it Carter. There's no shelter out here, and it's getting worse. We've got no choice!"

"Yes sir!" Sam replied anxiously, knowing that he was right too. The chances of being struck by lightning were far greater the longer they remained exposed. It was a classic case of 'Hobson's choice'; it was a risk that had to be taken.

Jack realised that he was being unreasonable towards everyone and flashed an apologetic look at her with a small wry smile that reassured her that things between them were still okay, despite the way he was feeling. He'd just got a bad feeling about something and wanted to get his team home before anything happened.

Daniel dialled up the gate and Sam sent the IDC. They hadn't been on the planet more than five hours, but that was long enough for them. Too long, as far as Jack was concerned.

He ordered them through, watching as Teal'c stepped into the shimmering flux first, and then he followed, certain that his two scientists were right on his tail.

Just as he stepped into the wormhole a brilliant flash of lightning connected with the gate. Amid a shower of sparks and a far too bright light accompanied with a loud booming crack of thunder, the event horizon winked out of existence.

Sam fell backwards in the flashback, landing on her butt. Daniel rushed forwards and asked if she was okay.

"Damn!" she cursed.

"What the hell happened?"

"The lightening must have short circuited the gate. Try dialling again!" Sam cried.

Daniel ran back to the DHD and punched in the co-ordinates once more. The gate exploded into a new wormhole and Sam sent their iris code again. Then both of them ran into the liquid like fluctuations and landed with a clatter on the metal ramp in the SGC.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks to my ever faithful band of reviewers for keeping me going here. I luv you guys._

YESTERDAY.

by Lingren.

**_Italics_**...indicate the internal conversation between the host and his Tok'ra symbiote.

_Previously: _

Daniel ran back to the DHD and punched in the co-ordinates once more. The gate exploded into a new wormhole and Sam sent their iris code again. Then they both ran into the liquid like fluctuations and landed with a clatter on the metal ramp in the SGC.

Chapter 4

Sam's haste in entering the wormhole carried her momentum almost to the foot of the ramp, to stop directly in front of General Hammond.

The General stood there speechless as the shimmering surface of the event horizon evaporated with a snap for the second time, moments before anyone could order the Iris to close.

Sam followed his confused gaze to the idle gate and back again.

"Sir?" she asked wondering why he was staring behind her.

"Major Carter?" he asked bewildered. "Where is Colonel O'Neill?"

"What?" she and Daniel both gasped, looking round the gate room for their friend.

She couldn't see Jack anywhere, but did catch sight of Teal'c's slightly puzzled look, so it had to be true. Jack really was missing?

"O'Neill did not come through the event horizon Major Carter!" Teal'c confirmed verbally.

"I...I don't know sir. He entered the wormhole before we did. He should be here!" Panic seized her and she fought to gain control of her wild thoughts, trying logically to understand what had gone wrong. She collected herself together, running through the events as calmly as she could. "He came through the gate just before the gate shut down the first time. We had to dial it up again so we could come...home..." her voice broke on the last word right when the reality of the situation hit her. By dialling up the gate after the lightning strike had she inadvertently wiped out her Commanding Officer's signature if he was stuck in the gate?. "Oh my God!" she cried as full realisation of her actions hit her like a ton of bricks.

She felt sick, physically sick. She...she had done this to Jack. She had lost his signature in the wormhole and erased it by dialling the gate again. Jack was gone. There was no way to get him back now. He had winked out of existence as soon as Daniel had punched in the DHD symbols and re-activated the gate.

Sam hastily gulped down the bile that had risen in her throat and threatened to overwhelm her. She ran from the room, only to be gaped at by a stunned General Hammond who'd remained mystified by her sudden silence and the distressed expression on her face before she fled the room.

Daniel had paled significantly at the implication, and, felt guilty that he was responsible for Jack's untimely demise. He understood, Sam's heartbreak now; he felt devastated himself. Jack was his friend and he'd been the one to 'kill' him.

Outwardly much calmer than he actually felt inside, he stepped forward to face the General.

"Uh...General Hammond? I think we should take this to the briefing room sir."

Hammond roused himself with difficulty and blinked back to the present, to look at the Doctor.

"Very well," he replied sharply. He just wanted to know what the hell that was all about, and where was his 2IC?

He marched from the room, Daniel trotted behind him, head down in remorse, with a more than usual solemn Teal'c bringing up the rear.

Once they were in the briefing room, the General stood beside his chair, and took a closer look at the dazed remnants of his premier team. They were soaked to the skin and in Daniel Jackson's case, deathly pale. The young man's eyes were haunted by grief.

"Will someone kindly explain to me what just what the hell happened down there?" the General demanded quietly.

Daniel hesitated but raised a finger to attract Hammond's attention.

"General, sir, we...em...we just...lost Jack..." he answered softly, as if saying it quietly would mean it never really happened, and that Jack would walk in any minute and say...'Miss me? Fooled ya!' However, that wasn't real. Jack wouldn't walk anywhere any more and they'd never hear his voice again, be it in jest, questioning them about the mission or yelling at him in particular over some minor disagreement. There would be no more bantering, no friendly hand on his shoulder to reassure him when things got tough. Daniel sniffed back a threatening tear and tried to force his feelings into some semblance of priority. The General needed to know what happened.

"What? How?" Hammond asked feeling stunned by the news.

"There...there was a thunderstorm raging round us, and Jack...," he swallowed painfully at the mention of his friend's name. "...Jack ordered us back to the gate. However, by the time we reached the gate, the lightning was very bad; it was very vivid and almost continuous. Jack told me to dial anyway as there was nowhere to shelter nearby and the storm was getting worse if anything..." he paused again, composing himself for the next and crucial part of the story.

"Jack...as Jack entered the wormhole, there was a brilliant flash of lightning and it struck the gate. The wormhole then shut down, and Sam ordered me to re-dial. We didn't realise what had happened. We didn't know Jack was... Hell, we all know...we know what happened to Teal'c when he was caught in the collapsing event horizon General. If Jack...if he was stuck in the same way, then, when I re-dialled, Jack's signature would have been erased for good..." Daniel's voice petered off with a strangle gulp. His arms wrapped tightly round his torso without conscious thought while he sat in a silent, tortuous misery. His whole being shouted guilty to those observant enough to notice the heavy burden of guilt he was carrying in excess of his grief.

Teal'c did.

Although he had understood what had gone so wrong, he was well versed in maintaining control of his emotions enough to lay a reassuring hand onto Daniel's shoulder.

"Do not blame yourself Daniel Jackson. O'Neill would not wish you to add your guilt to your heavy heart. It was not your fault," Teal'c consoled him. "O'Neill would have suffered no pain. We have lost a great warrior this day. Perhaps not on the field of battle as he would have expected, but the memory of his accomplishments will be well remembered by his friends.

Hammond's knees felt weak and he slid unsteadily down onto his chair. Jack was gone, he couldn't believe it; and there was no way; no miracle waiting in the wings to bring him back this time. On this occasion, his death would be permanent. No wonder Major Carter had fled when she had realised what she had unwittingly done, though she had no choice in the matter. It would be hard on her. Hammond closed his eyes against the harsh reality of the situation. He couldn't imagine what life would be like at the SGC without the man who had brought a slice of his energetic irreverence to the base. The Colonel was...had been...unique in many ways; his team as well as his methods of soldiering were exceptional and exemplary and their achievements barely touched upon by any other team.

General Hammond sat quietly, his hands steepled against his brow, elbows resting on the table. He re-opened his eyes again with a big sigh, and looked across at Daniel's despondent face. In a rare show of emotion, Hammond reached across, clasped Daniel's hand in his before squeezing it.

"Go get yourself along to the infirmary son. Let Dr. Frasier check you over. You too Teal'c," he ordered softly. He sympathised with their loss and could not fault them their moment of heartache. If anything, he knew that once the rest of SG-1 had recovered, then they would be stronger than before. Their ties were more than the word 'team-mates' implied. Jack had been responsible for that. SG-1 was a 'family', and Jack was its head. The brash, easy going and oft times insubordinate officer had become like a son to him, and he felt his loss keenly.

In fact, Hammond decided, he would have to make a visit to the infirmary himself to see if Major Carter were there. He was worried that this disaster might break her spirit and that it would take her a long time to get over it. He also knew that O'Neill had meant a hell of a lot more to her than their relationship was supposed to allow, but it was only last week that the President had permitted any kind of fraternisation between them. He'd turned a blind eye to their closeness in the past, preferring to believe that they deserved to be together. They were professional at all times whilst at work so he could trust them to keep to their side of the line and not cross it until they were off duty. Now it didn't matter, it was too late.

Long minutes after Daniel and Teal'c had left the room did he finally heave himself off the chair and sadly make his way down the hallway to the elevator.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

_Thanks for the reviews guys, keep 'em coming! Sorry more suspense in this chapter, so keep a tissue handy! Hey, at least you'll be put out of your misery in this one._

YESTERDAY.

by Lingren.

**_Italics_**...indicate the internal conversation between the host and his Tok'ra symbiote.

_Previously: _

Long minutes after Daniel and Teal'c had left the room did he finally heave himself off the chair and sadly make his way down the hallway to the elevator.

Chapter 5

"_Jack!"_

"_Jack! Wake up!" _Kanan called urgently. _"C'mon buddy. This isn't the time for a nap."_

No amount of yelling or threatening by the Tok'ra could rouse his host, so Kanan set to work on healing the smoking burns beneath the ruined jacket. Jack's shoulder had withstood the worst of the high-energy blast that had shot them from the wormhole. He'd hit the ground pretty hard and Kanan knew that Jack had suffered a concussion to go with the burned shoulder. Jack's knee was also damaged, where he'd hit the ground before rolling to a halt.

Every now and then, the Tok'ra tried to wake Jack, eventually succeeding after roughly twenty minutes.

"_Hey! You with me now?"_ Kanan heaved a deep sigh of relief as Jack's consciousness returned. _"We have got to get out of here! In case you hadn't noticed yet, we are most definitely not in Kansas!"_

Jack groggily looked about him and had to agree. Dragging his thoughts together with difficulty, he sat up gingerly allowing Kanan to bear the brunt of pain from his injuries, and clear his dizzy, aching head. He glanced around him again and sighed.

"_Ya think?" _he groaned._"What happened?"_

"_The wormhole spat us out here. I believe that the gate must have been struck by lightning as we entered and it caused the wormhole to jump to another gate."_

"_Really? So where are we?"_

"_I have no idea Jack."_

Jack groaned. Things must be pretty serious if his snake was actually calling him by his given name. He sat there for a few moments, studying the lay of the land. He was hurt and for the time being he couldn't muster the wherewithal to move, but he knew he definitely had to. With more grunts and groans, he stood, shakily, and hobbled away from the gate to hide. There was no telling if there was anyone around here, wherever here was. He couldn't see a DHD anywhere which made it glaringly obvious that he was stuck where he was, and there was no chance of getting home anytime soon.

OoOoOoOoO

THE FOLLOWING MONDAY.

The tense uneasy atmosphere in the briefing room was so thick that it would have been easy to cut it with a knife. Nobody wanted to do this, to be here right now. Hammond had tried to cancel the meeting but Mr. Ryan's aide had been firm in his resolve that his employer would not defer the engagement. So here they were, furious with Ryan and upset that he appeared to have no sensibilities whatsoever for their sad and sudden loss. Sam recalled Jack's words about the man when they had been informed of this gathering... 'A pompous and pretentious old shrub!' he had complained of Ryan, and Sam wholeheartedly agreed, adding a few colourful adjectives along for good measure.

Sam sat silent and broody in her place, her back to the vast window that overlooked the Stargate. The mug of coffee, stood untouched and cooling in front of her. Her cold hands tightly clenching at each other, were pressed hard against her mouth, maybe holding in the sobs, which somehow she could not stop, along with the tears she tried hard to keep from falling. Those blue eyes that Jack had loved so much, were red and puffy, glassy with salty moisture that she was determined not to let fall; if she did she knew she wouldn't be able to stop them again, and then she'd be no good to anyone for hours.

She still found it hard to comprehend that Jack had gone. In the blink of an eye, well, a wormhole, he'd disappeared into nothing, never to return to them. Just like that, no more Jack. The sheer suddenness still haunted her. It had all been her fault. She was the one who had ordered Daniel to dial the DHD that had lost him forever. Lost the man she'd fallen in love with and now that guilt would lie heavily on her shoulders for the rest of her life. How the hell could she bear it? She wondered.

Fresh tears wobbled on her lashes, and then with the onset of a noisy gulp from a sob, they overflowed; running rivers down her face uncontrolled and for the hundredth time since it happened. She just couldn't seem to stop crying. Sam longed to feel his arms around her; yearned with all her heart for him to be there, but it wasn't so, and her heart broke all over again.

Daniel shot from his chair and squatted down next to her, reaching round her shoulders to pull her into a hug. He pulled a clean handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it into her hands; hands that were fighting a losing battle to wipe away the flood.

He looked up and his eyes met with those of General Hammond's. A silent nod of understanding passed between them but nothing was said about the Major's breakdown.

Each and every one round that table understood her feelings and could only empathize with her ability to let it all out. Hell, Hammond sighed, the whole of the SGC was in mourning; the place was like a morgue, it would never be the same.

Daniel had cried. Jack was his greatest friend. Yes he'd shed plenty of tears; but in the privacy of his office, where no-one except Sam or Teal'c and maybe even the General, had been aware of his grief.

General Hammond hadn't been that close to actually crying since losing his beloved wife. Jack may have been a pain in the ass on occasions but he was everything that Hammond expected of him. He had been a loyal officer and friend, as well as a brilliant leader of men. He'd been an inspiration to the others at the SGC. And yes, Hammond was grieving too, he wasn't above admitting to his feelings; it was like losing a son, because that was what Jack had become to him over the years. And now he could perhaps finally appreciate and understand, a little of how much Jack had mourned the loss of his son Charlie, and that thought brought him closer to shedding those tears, when no-one was looking, than any other time for years before.

Teal'c sat silent and brooding too, though his expression barely gave away his tumultuous inner thoughts. He had offered comfort to his team-mates. He was like a steadfast rock; a rock which had grounded them and kept them from getting lost in the desert of their emotions. He himself gave nothing away, not even a hint of his own cavernous grief would he openly display. His eyes though saddened, remained dry, and no tremor in his deep voice gave vent to the feelings welling inside. If Teal'c ever gave way to his inner sadness, then it was in the privacy of his own quarters, alone, and without witness. Nothing of his sorrow revealed itself under that stolid stoic façade.

The shrill ring of the telephone startled them from their inner sorrow and Hammond moved slowly to answer it. His conversation was of necessity brief. He acknowledged the message and replaced the phone then returned to his seat.

"He's on his way down," he said shortly, trying valiantly to rouse that inner spark called military professionalism so that he could hide the pain and face the task before him with something like his normal self.

Sam sniffed back another sob and straightened herself. Smiling sadly at Daniel, she nodded her silent message of 'I'm fine now thanks,' at him and he withdrew his arms from around her. Daniel sat in the chair next to her, hoping his proximity would strengthen her for the ordeal to come. His own eyes were just as puffy and red as Sam's were and she knew he had silently cried along with her. She reached out and curled her hand over his, telling him silently that she appreciated his comfort. He smiled back and patted the top of her hand in empathy. They could do this together.

Long minutes dragged by when the door was flung open and Sergeant Matheson announced their guests, ushering in the most objectionable VIP, they had ever wanted to see, along with another, younger man.

Sam's hackles rose defensively as she studied the visitor through her tear-stained eyes. He on the other hand looked directly at her as soon as he'd walked in and a flash of something crossed his face before he visibly winced under her resentful gaze, then quickly looked away to greet the General.

So, thought Sam, he wasn't quite so oblivious to their grief after all. So why now? Why did he need to see them so soon after the tragedy? Couldn't he have waited until after the memorial service at least?

Hammond rose and walked across the room to meet Mr. Ryan and usher him to a seat at the other end of the table, away from the rest of them.

Sam snorted softly. The man made it plain that he didn't even want to mix with them. Perhaps he was afraid of catching something, though what, she wondered after all this time of gating to other worlds. She'd known that he was a recluse of course, but wasn't that taking things a bit too far? After all, this was his idea.

John Ryan was tall and well built, despite the impression that they had expected of an old man. His hair was iron grey and long at the back where it rested over his collar, a fringe of thin wispy silver hair dangled over his forehead and clashed with his darker eyebrows; yet still it managed to make him look a distinguished businessman. His eyes though a dull blue, were intense, and shadowed by his deep brows. He sported a neat moustache and well trimmed beard; a salt and pepper affair in differing shades of grey and white. He sat down at the far end of the highly polished table and folded his hands into his lap, keeping them hidden from sight.

He was feeling rather nervous at finally meeting these people that he knew so well by reading the reports and, he felt, in person too. They were like his friends, though he felt his reception was rather frosty, but expected nothing different after their recent loss.

Daniel watched the man closely. There was something about him that reminded him of someone. A vague likeness but to whom it was, he couldn't think.

The man had actually brought his aide with him who was hovering over him while he settled, then took his place on his employer's right, settling into the seat and smiling at everyone there. Ryan actually looked younger than he'd imagined. He'd been expecting an elderly gentleman, but then, looks can be deceiving, especially hidden beneath a plethora of facial hair to hide the lines and wrinkles.

The aide on the other hand was younger, probably about 40ish. His manner was one of concern for his employer, though Daniel could see that there was more than just a business arrangement between them. The younger man obviously revered the older man, and fussed constantly, receiving only smiles and nods of reassurance from his boss.

General Hammond returned to stand at the head of the table to launch into his welcome speech, which Ryan appeared to enjoy, though his mind seemed elsewhere, namely fixed on Sam for some reason, from Daniel's point of view. Which in turn, made him wonder at the man's real reason for the visit, and which sparked an indignant anger from within him. One heard all sorts of stories about old men and their wandering eyes. If he thought that he could buy Sam off, then he had another thing coming.

The General sat down, feeling somewhat superfluous under the steady gaze that Ryan sent his way when he'd rounded up his oration.

Ryan nodded silently to his right hand man, who then stood and politely coughed into his hand in order to attract their attention.

The man was younger than Ryan was, probably in his early forties, Sam surmised, maybe late thirties at a push, though the man had a boyish look about him, and a ready smile, especially for Ryan, which set her wondering about them instead of concentrating on the meeting.

"Good Afternoon General Hammond, Major Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson and Teal'c." he smiled deeply and nodded to each of them in turn. "My name is Adam and I will be Mr. Ryan's voice for the duration of this meeting."

Sam released a little gasp of surprise, her eyebrows impersonating Teal'c's. She was shocked when she realised that this business man couldn't even speak for himself. How stupid was that? she thought in disgust. She couldn't help but gape at the man in question.

Ryan closed his eyes against the thoughts that welled up in his mind when he saw her reaction, but shut them away quickly. He knew what she must think of him, but it had to be this way, he could think of no other way round it.

Adam continued as if the Major's surprise had been nothing out of the ordinary and somehow, expected.

"Mr. Ryan would like to offer you his deepest sympathy at this time of sorrow, but, time waits for no man and business is business..." Adam continued with a smile.

Again, Sam gasped, barely holding back a bitter retort at the man's audacity. He was no sorrier at their loss than anyone of the Goa'ulds would have been. He almost looked, dare she think it, 'interested' in her reaction. She glowered angrily at him until he averted his gaze.

Daniel sighed, prepared for a long boring afternoon. With those unsympathetic words reeling through his mind, he conjured up an image of Jack, swaying back and forth on his toes and heels saying exactly the same sort of cliché as he lectured his friend on being late for briefings or when he'd arrived late in the gate room for their next mission. He then realised with a sudden jolt that he had lost the next part of the oration and forced himself to listen to Adam as he spouted forth.

"...Mr. Ryan would like to extend..."

Again, Daniel lost the thread of the speech, wondering if the man was going to waffle on like this all the time. This whole thing was nuts. Definitely not worthy of SG-1's time, or that of the SGC's come to think of it; simply because the man had billions of dollars to throw away, even if it was for a good cause. Nevertheless, did he have to waste their time as well?

"...He believes..." Adam continued. "...that everyone of you is curious as to how he knows so much about the Stargate Project and all of you in particular, and has permitted me to relay to you how this is so."

Daniel perked up in his seat a little, now this information was going to be interesting, maybe.

Daniel's eyes flicked round to Sam in time to see her sit up and take note too. He swung his gaze back to Ryan to see the gentle amusement in his bright blue eyes, a slight smile playing on the thin lips, not quite hidden amongst the growth of beard and moustache.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

_Thanks for your review guys. Please, please keep 'em coming…I'm getting' lonely out here. I hope you all enjoy this chapter…it's what you've all been waiting for._

_debcole – now as you say, for the big reveal!_

YESTERDAY.

by Lingren.

**_Italics_**...indicate the internal conversation between the host and his Tok'ra symbiote.

_Previously: _

Daniel's eyes flicked round to Sam in time to see her sit up and take note too. He swung his gaze back to Ryan to see the gentle amusement in his bright blue eyes, a slight smile playing on the thin lips, not quite hidden amongst the growth of beard and moustache.

Chapter 6

He knew!

The man knew they wouldn't be able to ignore this part of the proceedings, and Daniel felt that he was missing something. Something big that Ryan was hiding, and that when he discovered what it was; it would turn out to be enormous. He had no doubt that this man held a deep dark secret, perhaps even bigger than the Stargate programme itself. What that whopper of a secret was though, he couldn't even stab at a guess.

"Mr. Ryan wishes to convey to you his thoughts on this, his pet project; one which he has seen through, from its tentative research right up to the present day. Each one of you here today should know that you were chosen by him to become the best team, and Commander of the SGC."

"What?" all four voices raised in surprise. "How?"

Adam fended off their questions with a raised hand, and an amused smile.

"Please, if I may proceed, you will understand Mr. Ryan's logic in time," he placated them.

Then Adam started with Teal'c.

"Because you are a Jaffa Teal'c, there is not much to expound on your past. Suffice it to say that Mr. Ryan has 'watched' you develop from a total stranger; an alien adrift in a sea of humanity, to become a loyal and valued member of this facility. Your calm aura tempering the more obscure rough edges from your team-mates. Your stoic acceptance of all things foreign, has made you a friend to all. You trusted your instincts when they were tested and they have served you well. Mr. Ryan hopes they will continue to do so in the future. You are always there for your team-mates at the worst of times as well as in happier moments; your inner strength is theirs by default. Your humour all your own. You are truly a great warrior Teal'c. A shining example of the good to be found in your people. Mr. Ryan hopes that they will be freed from their slavery very soon."

Teal'c bowed his head in acknowledgement of Ryan's generous statement, though he failed to understand how John Ryan could assess this much about him by merely reading reports.

"Major Samantha Carter," Adam began after he had sipped a little water from the glass at his elbow. "Mr. Ryan knew you were the right woman for the job many years ago. You excelled in school and he has watched you grow from afar, even as you took your first steps at the Academy. He has seen you develop into a capable warrior as well as a competent officer. It was at his recommendation that you be given access to the Stargate project two years before the programme actually started. He has been instrumental in grooming your career in the Air Force so that you would eventually join the team here at the SGC..."

Sam was absolutely stunned to think that this total stranger had manipulated her career all the way along. That he had known her from when she was young, right through her life and she'd never once thought that anyone had spied on her all this time. She was speechless and infuriated at the sheer nerve of the man; billionaire or not. But, then came the kicker...without his help there would be no SGC and certainly, the Stargate would have been forgotten long ago, therefore she would never have met Jack. So despite the deep pain she was feeling at Jack's loss, she had been so happy here. This was the life she was loving and she had Ryan to thank for it.

"...You are an exceedingly clever woman Samantha..." Adam carried on. "...and the brains of SG-1. Without your excellent knowledge of all things pertaining to the inner workings of any technology, SG-1 would not be here now. Not only are you a brilliant scientist, but you are beautiful and have captured many hearts; including that of Colonel O'Neill from the very first day of your arrival. Mr. Ryan is exceedingly sorry that things turned out this way, but he is sure things will be looking up for you in the very near future."

Sam reddened and didn't dare look at General Hammond whom she heard suck in a sharp breath at this news; he believed it was such a recent development between them. She would probably be summoned to his office after this meeting is over, she sighed.

"And now, Doctor Daniel Jackson; the last, but by no means, the least important member of SG-1." Adam nodded at Daniel as the archaeologist's ears pricked up and his back straightened in anticipation. "Perhaps it will be of news to you that without Mr. Ryan's intervention, the Stargate programme would never have gotten under way. It was his funding that started the ball rolling by giving Catherine Langford the opportunity and the wherewithal to carry on her Father's research. Mr. Ryan funded the good Doctor Langford by his generous donations and insistence that this unused missile silo be utilised for the project. Your theories on ancient Egypt were well known to him as he followed your career with interest. It was also at his insistence that Catherine brought you into the fold and he was confident in his assumption that if anyone could open the 'Doorway to Heaven' it would be you. It was by his request that you be allowed to join SG-1 when you returned from Abydos, as he knew you would in order to search for Sha're. You are the gentle soul of the team; the conscience and the heart of SG-1. Long may your work continue, though your search for your former wife has since sadly ended in tragedy."

Daniel sighed with regret. Yes he'd lost his beloved Sha're, but he'd met some incredible people along the way and made more friends than he'd ever had. SG-1 were his family; something he'd been searching for since he'd lost his parents. This was his home now and Jack's loss would be felt deeply.

Adam paused again to take another drink. His eyes looked to his employer for confirmation as to how he was doing. A smile and a nod of reassurance was reflected back bringing a grin to Adam's lips too.

Daniel watched, fascinated by the easy relationship that obviously existed between the two and wondered what was behind it. It was rumoured that Ryan never went anywhere without Adam, and Daniel immediately thought of the old saying with amusement, that 'Ryan had known Adam since he was a boy'.

"General Hammond..." Adam started again, shocking the General who hadn't believed that he would be included in this weird version of 'This is your Life'. "...without Mr. Ryan's intervention, you would be happily retired, though he believes that you have enjoyed the past five years working here, despite the added pressure of having Jack O'Neill as a 'pain in the ass' and as your Second in Command."

Hammond and the others were startled by his comments about Jack, though the General did find himself smiling, despite feeling that the man was making derogatory remarks about Jack who was no longer here to defend himself.

"Does anyone have any questions they would like answered?" Adam asked when he had finished.

"Ah, yes, I'd like to say something if that's all right? Actually, it's not a question as such." Daniel raised a finger to get Adam's attention.

"Please, go ahead, Dr. Jackson," Adam smiled, receiving a nod from his patron.

"In all of this talk, you've mentioned how much you have seen us grow and develop, and become a force to be reckoned with. That's all well and good, and I can appreciate that you are justifiably proud of this programme. Explaining how you've overseen the project from the beginning etc., you've mentioned General Hammond, Teal'c, Sam and myself, but what about Jack? Doesn't he deserve some mention in all of this? Just because he...died, doesn't he warrant a few words?" Daniel argued adamantly, annoyed with their patron who had all but ignored their late leader.

"Without him, we weren't a team. Without him we wouldn't be here now, let alone talking to you. Jack was everything to us; he was the glue that held us together. He was the CO we looked to...to get us out of trouble. Whenever we found ourselves in trouble, there was always a plan B as far as he was concerned and it damn well worked too. He never left anyone behind, not if he could help it; that wasn't his way. We trusted his judgement implicitly, maybe not always agreeing with it, but we respected him. We are living testament to his skills as a soldier and a leader. He was a friend to us all, and more than that, he was a damn good friend..."

Daniel's voice broke and it took a few moments before he could continue.

"Jack deserved more than he got out of this, but he didn't ask for anything in return, except our loyalty and trust. He died doing what he loved best, serving this country, saving this world, whatever. He'd, 'Been there and done that; and got the T-shirt,' as he would say. He always did his job to the best of his ability. Did you watch him grow up too? Did you see his pain? Share in his suffering when his son Charlie died? Did you watch and see how much his service with the Air Force meant to him, and what it ultimately cost him?" Daniel's anger was growing, his voice rising with it, standing now to force home his point. "Don't you think he deserves some merit for that? For pulling his life back together and starting over anew? Yet, just because he's gone, doesn't mean he's not here with us now, in spirit if not in body..." Daniel gulped down a sob, no longer able to speak through his constricted throat. He sat down heavily in his chair and held his hands to his face, covering up his grief, the tears leaking through his long fingers.

Sam laid a hand on his arm, squeezing it lightly, her emotions tentatively held in check, her unbridled anger directed to the man at the other end of the table.

It was true. In all the things he'd said, he'd never once mentioned Jack's role in all of this, except to call him a 'pain in the ass!'. Without Jack, none of this would be happening.

"Why now?" she asked, trying hard to control the disappointed irritation festering deep inside her. "Why did you come now, while things are so difficult for us? Have you no sensibilities?"

Ryan sat in stony silence. His eyes full of sadness, yet he held a slight sad smile that puzzled her. After a few moments, he nodded to Adam and the man excused himself to leave the room. Adam glanced anxiously towards his employer, uncertain if he should be doing this. Ryan smiled up at him, laying a firm hand on his arm and nodded. The aide turned and walked through the door, still worried, but willing to obey his boss's will.

Sam guiltily thought that perhaps she had gone just a little too far. She shot a silent apology across to the General who sat speechless after Daniel outburst, thinking that they had blown their budget for the future, and the Stargate programme would now sink without a trace.

When the room had grown quiet again, Ryan stood and paced a little, his hands stuffed into the pocket of his suit pants.

To their eyes, he seemed to be in a little bit of a turmoil. He was so deep in thought that Sam felt she should apologise to him, hoping she hadn't setback any help for the SGC.

"I'm sorry Mr. Ryan..." she began. " ...but I..."

He turned abruptly, holding out a hand to stop her in mid speech.

He smiled at them, and shook his head; looking briefly at the floor before speaking.

"Wow, what can I say to that? That was some speech Danny!" he said simply, bringing his head up again to smile at his friend; feeling a little choked by emotion.

Daniel's head shot up, his tears forgotten.

The voice was so familiar, sounding so much like...?

At first he though he was dreaming, perhaps the grief he felt was playing on his mind.

"Jack?" he whispered, shocked.

"Oh god!" Sam shot a surprised stare towards Ryan.

"It is you isn't it?" Daniel asked half-afraid he'd gone crazy as Ryan turned away.

"Colonel? You...you're Ryan?" the General gasped, stupefied by the whole idea. Ryan had been around a long time.

Ryan shrugged, spinning round to face them all again, a huge grin on his face.

"Hi kids! I gather ya missed me, huh?"

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

_Thanks to my faithful few for their reviews, without whom I'd give up…please R & R guys! C'mon...it's not that bad surely!_

YESTERDAY.

by Lingren.

**_Italics_**...indicate the internal conversation between the host and his Tok'ra symbiote.

_Previously: _

Ryan shrugged, spinning round to face them all again, a huge grin on his face.

"Hi kids! I gather ya missed me, huh?"

Chapter 7

"Jack?" cried Hammond and Sam together, hardly able to comprehend that Ryan was in fact, none other than the missing Colonel Jack O'Neill.

"O'Neill?"

"How?" everyone gasped at once.

"What can I say? For some reason that wormhole spat me out into the past. At first, I didn't know where I was. Then I discovered I was in fact right here on Earth, but way back in the past. There was no way I could get home again, so I had to wait until now."

"Is it really you Jack?"

"Yes Daniel. It's really me. I knew as soon as I opened my mouth that you would recognise me, hence, Adam," He shrugged.

"What happened sir?" Sam asked, too shocked by the outcome to allow her heart to overrule her curiosity right now.

"It's a long, long story Carter. An' god, I've really missed you guys!" he grinned ruefully, shaking his head.

"All...all the time you sat there listening...and you...let me go off at a tangent?" Daniel couldn't quite get his thoughts out. "Jack! So help me..."

"Daniel," Jack laughed and strode quickly up to his best friend.

"Oh god, Jack!" Daniel sighed, standing to face him. He was overwhelmed to have his friend back again.

They stood gazing at each other for a long moment, then suddenly Jack was hugging him tight, grinning like there was no tomorrow. Daniel hugged him right back, though at that moment, he was unsure whether to welcome him back or strangle him.

"Thank you for the speech, Spacemonkey. I appreciate you were defending my honour. Thanks."

Sam waited until he'd released Daniel, standing quietly until Jack stepped away from his friend. Now it was her turn. Jack looked at her, held her eyes with his, until she frowned, pointing to his eyes. Jack frowned too until he realised as to what she was referring. His eyes. He bent over to pop out the coloured contact lenses then blinked a few times, now she could see it really was him.

"Sorry about that. I had to try and disguise myself otherwise you might have guessed before I was ready to reveal myself."

Sam smiled up at those familiar dark brown eyes and grinned. Now she could see the real Jack, despite the beard, and the longer hair. She raised a hand up to run a finger along his lips; they were just as she remembered them less than a week ago in her reality. Her memory of him so vivid as they'd kissed that night before the mission.

"It's been a hell of a long time Sam," he whispered softly.

He swept his arms around her and kissed her thoroughly, making her forget all the recent sorrow, so that she was left with new memories of him; of his arms holding her close. He ignored the fact that Hammond was watching, he didn't care at this point, besides, he was John Ryan right now. He'd waited for this day for a lifetime.

Sam felt the warmth of his body against her, making her spine tingle. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, holding on and never wanting to let him go; the deep kiss dragging her thoughts from bad to wonderful, of...

"Kanan?" she uttered suddenly pulling out of his embrace. "It was Kanan wasn't it? He kept you 'younger', more like you were. All this time and...That's why you...Ryan...was a recluse."

Jack nodded, grinning. Yet again Sam had reminded him of her intelligence. It hadn't just been a dream of long ago, and it wasn't a rumour.

"Just how far into the past were you thrown?" Daniel asked full of curiosity.

"Too long ago Daniel. I couldn't let on to anyone that I was a Tok'ra. No-one had the slightest inkling about them back then. I'd have been tossed in a nut house, or worse; dissected and studied at area 51."

"So where is Kanan?"

Jack dipped his head and Kanan spoke to them.

"I'm here. Hi!" he greeted them in his typical Tok'ra timbre. "Jack sure is glad to see you folks again. He really missed you guys..."

Daniel laughed and Sam sniggered.

"What?" Kanan asked puzzled at to their reactions.

"Oh, you've definitely been around Jack for far too long!" Daniel smirked.

"Ya think?" Kanan grinned.

"Definitely! But it's good to know that you and Jack are safe."

"He wouldn't have made it without me. He's not so young any more."

"_Hey! I heard that!" _Jack pouted.

"_It's true! You'd be an old man now if it wasn't for me!"_

"_Yeah, don't remind me."_

Kanan retreated after a sharp mental nudge from Jack.

"You'll have to excuse him, he gets a little..."

"_Hassak!"_

"Big-headed!" Jack whispered, grinning.

He made his way over to his Commanding Officer.

"General."

"It's good to see you again Jack. We all thought we'd lost you," Hammond said, standing to face him.

"Not me sir. You know how difficult it is to kill me off."

"Yeah! You're like the proverbial bad penny Jack, you just keep coming back!" Daniel quipped, making Sam giggle. "Do us a favour...just keep on doing it!"

"See! Now if I was still around they wouldn't be acting like this!" Jack grumbled to Hammond.

Hammond grinned, and put his hand out to take Jack's.

Jack took the outstretched hand and shook it.

"I'm glad you're back anyway Jack!" he laughed.

"Thank you General!"

Jack turned to Teal'c now. The Jaffa stood and bowed his head in salute, and then Jack clasped his arm in the traditional Jaffa greeting before he pulled him in for a hug too.

"It is good to see you again O'Neill. You were sorely missed."

"Thanks 'T'."

By now Jack wasn't sure how he felt. He was so happy to see his team again, and yet he felt as near to tears as he'd ever been. The warmth of their greeting overwhelmed him, and Daniel's speech had floored him.

"So why don't you sit down and tell us what happened son?" Hammond drawled, more than happy to have Jack back with them again.

"As I said sir; it's a very, very long story. Forty years too long to be exact."

"What?"

"That long?" Daniel gasped, hardly able to grasp the fact that Jack had waited for nearly half a century before he could return.

Jack nodded and his face twisted into a sad wry grin as he sat down.

"We thought we had lost you when the gate shut down, and then I redialled it and you were gone. One minute you were there, and then next there was no trace of you," Sam sighed.

Jack could see the sadness and guilt in her eyes. He reached across to take her hand in his and began his side of the events.

"I was knocked for six when that..."

"Lightning strike?" supplied Daniel.

"...yeah I guess it was, that shifted the wormhole and somehow it sent me back to 1963. It was like Antarctica all over again, only worse. Don't ask me how Daniel, because I don't have the foggiest idea. You and Carter know all about that stuff. Anyway, I woke up to find myself in a warehouse, full of obsolete stuff all packed away in crates and boxes... There was no DHD of course; and computers with the dialling programme weren't around in those days, nor could I predict when the next sun spot or whatever would erupt so that I could return to the present. I had to face it; there was just no way home, and no way to tell you guys what had happened. I just had to bide my time and let the years pass me by, until today, when I knew you would all be 'mourning' my loss. I couldn't risk coming back here to meet myself."

"Because it would have caused a paradox?" someone asked, though who, Jack wasn't sure because he never lifted his head as his mind was wrapped up in his recollections.

"Something like that I guess. I remember all that stuff Carter spouted about time lines when we were sent back to 1969. I wouldn't risk it. I didn't want to change anything."

"But you did change things sir, by becoming Ryan."

"Ryan already existed Carter. Even I knew that. Though I must admit that it never occurred to me that he would be...me! I'm sure if you looked up the details you would understand as I did when I discovered the truth. Gah! It's all so complicated."

"So how did you choose the name?"

"It was a combination of my Grandfathers' names actually. John is a family name on both sides, handed down generation after generation. It is my own name, as you already know Daniel; I just preferred to be called Jack. It was easier with Dad around at the time; and Ryan was the name of the old folks over in Ireland. It's my mother's family name."

Both Sam and Daniel took all this in with fascination. It was the most that they had gleaned from Jack about his family in all the years they had known him.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

_Thanks to those of you who did review. At least I know some of you out there are reading this. Please R & R guys! I'm getting lonely here!_

_As for the film – well, to be honest I had seen it yonks ago in my youth and had forgotten all about it, but it seems I must have taken it to heart; hence this fic. It seemed like a good idea at the time._

YESTERDAY.

by Lingren.

**_Italics_**...indicate the internal conversation between the host and his Tok'ra symbiote.

_Previously: _

Both Sam and Daniel took all this in with fascination. It was the most that they had gleaned from Jack about his family in all the years they had known him.

Chapter 8

"But how did you...I mean...you're a Billionaire. How...?"

Jack grinned; he knew Daniel would want to know the answer to that puzzle.

"I used my brain Daniel. It wasn't difficult, despite how dumb you may think me. I knew how to invest what little I earned. I placed a few bets here and there, especially on things like big games, boxing matches; stuff like that. I won of course, and then played the winnings on the stock market. I have shares in many of the things in this world, mainly because I already knew they would be successful. That's how I made the money. That's how I kept you guys going out there each week or whenever. I swear that every penny I made was ploughed right back into the SGC. I didn't want it for my own personal gains. I'm John Ryan the philanthropist don't ya know?" he grinned.

"A sort of self-fulfilling prophesy? Like Cassandra when we returned too far into the future that time?"

"I knew you'd work it out Sam."

"So you spent 40 years..."

"Missing you guys? Missing the excitement of action? Of going through the Stargate? Yes I did; a hell of a lot. God...I was just a kid back then! There were times I wanted to end it, when I was so damn lonely... Sometimes the only person I spoke to on a personal level was Kanan. He kept me sane. If it wasn't for Kanan, well, I don't need to go into that, I'm sure you can guess what could have been."

Everyone sobered while they pondered Jack's words. They knew him well enough to know how he must have felt.

"Kanan kept me focused on my 'mission', and gradually things started to work out. I couldn't help but take a look at you kids growing up. I wanted to help each one of you, but I knew I couldn't interfere, not like that."

Jack paused for a moment, then with a soft voice continued.

"I saw your misery Daniel, but I couldn't reach out to comfort you and that hurt me too. I wanted so much to take you in but I knew I should leave you to live your life as you did. It would have been so easy to adopt that little boy lost. Instead I had to stand back and watch your pain..." Jack's voice had dropped to a whisper; raw with emotion.

Daniel didn't know what to say to that. What could he say to his friend? It hit him then that Jack would probably have been a good father to him, and how he would have enjoyed life as his son. Daniel wiped a tear away and stared down into his lap, avoiding looking at anyone, especially Jack. He'd never really known that Jack 'loved' him that much, and it was a startling revelation.

"Carter, Sam, you were such a pretty kid, a real tomboy!" he laughed. "You haven't changed a bit," he grinned, making Sam blush to her roots.

This was a side of Jack they hadn't seen before; a much mellower, softer Jack, and she supposed it was because he'd lived a long time on his own and missed their company so much. Had he changed that much? She wondered.

"Hell, I even got to see Charlie again. I could have stopped it ya know!" he choked back a sigh. "I could have warned myself of what would happen. But, then I could hear Carter's voice saying about the whole space-time continuum stuff, so I didn't, though it hurt like hell to stand by and watch it happen again... I've made my peace with that over the years. I got to see him for a little bit again and for that, I guess I was thankful. I could say goodbye this time."

You could have heard a pin drop as all the other sounds of activity normally heard wafting into the briefing room from the control room below, melted away as they listened to Jack express his loneliness spanning 40 years so eloquently which sounded so strange yet was so sad.

"So, what now?" Daniel asked, breaking into the silence, and dragging Jack from his morose thoughts.

Jack snapped out of his melancholy like flipping a switch.

"I'm back!" he snapped cheerfully. "I want to come back. I didn't spend the last 40 odd years planning on nurturing the SGC, not to be able to rejoin it again from this point onwards. General? I need this. I have to carry on with my real life now I'm back to where I should be. A hell of a lot older maybe, and maybe a little wiser too, granted, but I still want my real life back! I belong on SG-1."

"But what about Ryan? He can't just disappear?" Daniel gasped.

"I've already thought about that. Kanan and I have discussed it and he can cause Ryan to have a sudden heart attack and 'die'. Ryan's Last Will and Testament, will state that he wants to be buried off-world. Somewhere safe. The President has already promised to give the go ahead when the time should arise. Then Kanan will 'revive' me and I can gate to another planet. Somewhere where I can be 'located' by another team perhaps when they just happen to be visiting after a few days. I can say that I ended up there, slightly injured. I can act hurt, though they would be aware that Kanan would heal me. That way, no-one will be any the wiser, except us."

"You make it all sound so easy Jack. What if Kanan can't revive you, not after so long?"

"It's a risk I'm gonna have to take Daniel. There has to be a viable excuse for Ryan's disappearance from the world."

"Will there not be an autopsy on Ryan's body O'Neill?" Teal'c enquired. His question brought fresh alarm to the others' faces.

"No. My personal Physician has promised that there won't be one. He knows what is going to happen. It will have to be done in a very public place unfortunately, where everyone can see what's happening, so that no-one should suspect anything other than a natural turn of events. Dr. Edward Miller has a whole load of notes to state that John Ryan had a weak heart. One of the perks of having plenty of money in this world is that I could surround myself with good men." he sighed. Money might have been plentiful but friends were few and far between. He closed his eyes and pushed away the memory of 40 years without their company; without seeing them as he remembered them; of the miserable solitude that had haunted his every waking hour. If it hadn't been for Adam and Teddy Miller and not forgetting Kanan, well... let's not go there.

"You had this whole thing planned out, didn't you? Daniel grumbled, making Jack snap out of his unhappy thoughts once more with his sharp tone of voice. Daniel didn't know whether to laugh because Jack was back from the dead, or shout with rage that Jack could so callously and coolly treat the whole thing as if he was making a TV programme. As if it meant nothing at all to him at all.

"Daniel, please! I'm sorry if all this offends your sensibilities, but it is necessary. Believe me. You want me to carry on being John Ryan? Okay fine! I'll remain a total stranger. Or do you want your friend back? I've had 40 years of being alone Daniel. **I** want my life back. **I** want to be with my friends, and this is the only way I can do it that won't stir up a whole hornet's nest of trouble. If John Ryan was to just disappear there would be an outcry like this country has never seen, and the Military or the Government would most likely be blamed. Either that or perhaps a foreign country would have a finger pointed at them; or terrorists even. So what do you want me to do Daniel? Start another war in retaliation for something that never happened?"

Daniel looked down at his fingers in embarrassment. He hadn't really given it much thought, but he knew Jack was right.

"I'm sorry. I just didn't think..."

Jack reached across to touch Daniel's arm reassuringly.

"It's okay Daniel. I know this whole thing has been a big shock to you guys. I just wish I could have done things differently. I couldn't reveal myself to you any earlier, not with 'myself' walking around."

"You had no effects while the two of you both existed in the same time frame?" Sam Carter asked incredulously, her mind ticking over the possibilities.

"I didn't. That's where Teddy Miller comes in. On the occasions where I came face to face with my younger self, I had a few other 'problems', which he helped me out with. He understood what all that mumbo jumbo stuff did Carter. His hobby was Quantum physics and that sort of... He has a PhD in it too, though medicine was his main concern. That's one of the reasons I had him work for me. He's already sworn to secrecy. It's Adam that's the problem. He doesn't know the truth but he also knows a hell of a lot of details. Could you find him some sort of work to do out there General? I hate to think of him out on the streets again sir."

"I'll take care of that Jack," Hammond reassured him.

"What happens to Dr. Miller after you...em...die?" Sam asked tentatively.

"I've thought about that. General, do you think we have room for one more scientist or medic at the SGC? It's not as if money will be short from now on. I'm sure we can guarantee his secret remains a secret if he's part of the family sir."

"I should imagine that he would fit in here. I can sort that out too Jack. Leave it with me."

"Thank you sir."

"Who's going to back the SGC up in the future, when you...uh...Ryan, dies?" Sam asked, worried that with their beneficiary dead, the funds would dry up, and then people like Kinsey would step in and take away everything they had worked for.

"I thought about that too. Mr. Ryan is leaving most of his wealth to the SGC, as stipulated in his Will. To keep Kinsey and his cohorts quiet, I added a clause that if they shut the SGC programme down, then any funds that 'he' may have acquired for his presidential campaign would also dry up."

Hammond grinned and Sam snorted with laughter.

"Good thinking sir!" Sam grinned.

"It happens," he said shrugging. It was good to be able to see her smile again.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

_Many thanks to debcole and Froggy0319 for their continued support, without whom, I think I would sink without a trace. Where did everyone go?_

_From here on out the story is all mine!_

YESTERDAY.

by Lingren.

**_Italics_**...indicate the internal conversation between the host and his Tok'ra symbiote.

_Previously: _

"It happens," he said shrugging. It was good to be able to see her smile again.

Chapter 9

"The rest of the money I've donated to various charities, and also the guys who spent a lot of time making sure I was kept away from the public and safe! It seemed only fair. I didn't make billions of dollars just to keep myself in luxury. I did it for the SGC! And now the future of this place is secure, I can, I hope, rejoin my team."

"You really have though of everything, haven't you?" Daniel said awed. Jack had certainly changed. He supposed it was the fact that he'd spent decades buried in financial paperwork. Looking at his friend now, it was difficult to see the old Jack O'Neill beneath the expensive black pinstriped business suit and conservative white shirt with starched collar and black tie. So unlike the Jack he knew who was comfortable just wearing his BDU's.

"I'm still the same Daniel. Just a little bit...wiser, shall we say?"

"Not to mention a lot older too!" Daniel grinned.

Sam snickered, though it was good reaction, bringing about a warmth Jack hadn't felt in years. It was good to be surrounded by his friends again, though the time was rapidly running out. Soon he would have to return to being John Ryan for the time being.

"Do you know when? When Ryan is going to 'die' that is?" Hammond asked, hoping to get a rough idea of when he could plan the next stage of the operation.

"No sir. Kanan, won't tell me," he huffed with indignity, "He says it's got to look natural and doesn't want me to 'ham' it up." Jack rolled his eyes with exasperation.

Even General Hammond laughed at that, though Teal'c, who had sat quietly listening to everything, merely raised an eyebrow at the comment.

Jack ignored the guffaws aimed at his acting ability or lack of, and continued.

"It should be within the next two weeks or so sir. Just give me long enough to straighten up my affairs and I'll be waiting on that planet. A slip of paper with the gate co-ordinates on it could be slipped into the pocket of my 'burial suit' so I know where to go, would be just fine General."

"Right then..."

"Does Adam know?" Sam asked softly, wondering exactly how many people knew of his plans.

"No. Neither does any of my household staff. The only one who does know is Teddy Miller. Oh, and one more thing General. I'll need a whole outfit of BDU's, vest, P90, etc., just as it was when I was on that mission."

"Already done Colonel. I'll make sure it's waiting for you to change into."

"Thank you sir."

He looked round at those seated around him, drinking in their cheerful, though worried faces and committed them to memory again. They were obviously happier than when he had first stepped into the room.

Jack stood up and said goodbye to Daniel. He gave Sam a big hug, as if he never wanted to let go, but he had to do this, especially if he wanted to return as Jack O'Neill again. He nodded to Teal'c and the General and moved back to his former seat at the end of the table. His expression warning them not to give anything away to Adam, as Teal'c stepped across to the door to re-admit the aide.

Ryan nodded to Adam who after taking his former place, launched into his speech, saying farewell and that it had been a most enlightening visit. If he had wondered what had gone on behind the closed door, he couldn't read anything on the grim faces gathered there. His patron rose and very stiffly and formally, and bade them a silent goodbye.

General Hammond walked him to the door, and shook his hand firmly.

"Goodbye Mr. Ryan, I hope we may meet again some day."

Jack, keeping within his character, nodded and walked away without turning back to look at his friends. This simple act took more out of him than anything else over the past 40 years had.

OoOoOoOoO

"_That wasn't so difficult now, was it?" _Kanan's voice popping up in his head goaded whilst they waited for the elevator to deposit them on level 11, ready to change cars. So far, during the proceedings he'd kept his mouth shut, just listening.

"_Shut up Kanan. Now is not the time!" _Jack retaliated, stepping into the next elevator.

"_What? I let you talk to them didn't I?" _He grouched.

"_Don't push it Worm!" _

"_So what will you do to me if I do?"_

"_Kanan!"_

"_Jack!"_

"_I told you, it's fool proof plan," _Kanan insisted.

Jack wasn't so sure. He was the one on the receiving end if anything went wrong.

"_Hey! It's my life too ya know!" _The symbiote reminded him,_ "My life is on the line as well! If I cannot revive you, there's no way I can just take another host. Not if you don't want an outcry after your death." _

"_Okay, so we both die. Maybe you ought to brush up on your healing skills while I wait for the inevitable to happen."_

"_Anyone would think you didn't trust me!" _Kanan whined.

"_Who said I did?"_

"_Gee, that's all the thanks I get for keeping you healthy over the last 40 years."_

Jack snorted softly, making Adam glance across at him. Adam knew when to keep his mouth shut; Mr. Ryan wasn't above taking his head off if he became too inquisitive. The older man had been exceedingly generous when it came to pay day, but then he did hold a special place in his benefactor's heart and could get away with most things 'except' prying into his private life.

Jack reigned in his verbal comments as they reached the surface, not wishing to appear any more of a 'fruit cake' than he was already known for among his staff.

When they stepped out of the elevator, Mr. Ryan was immediately joined by his personal bodyguards who had been told to wait topside, and escorted him to the sleek black limousine that was awaiting him. Its dark tinted windows shielding him from the world outside. Adam climbed in the front next to the chauffeur. The gleaming vehicle then made its way to the main gate and turned down the road towards Colorado Springs, the rest of his entourage following in a plain black sedan.

Alone with his thoughts again, he turned to the only source of real company he'd had over the many long lonely years.

"_Hey! Hiss." _Jack called out to his symbiote.

"_What Hassak?"_

"_Slime ball!"_

"_Ass!"_

"_Okay! Enough!"_

"_You started it!" _Kanan whined.

Jack had grown used to Kanan over the intervening years and this was a game they often played between themselves at quiet moments. Each of them thinking up worse insults to call the other. Hiss, was one of Jack's pet names for Kanan, after the snake 'Sir Hiss' in the Disney film of Robin Hood, except that he refused to add the 'Sir', saying that Kanan hadn't earned the title. While he, on the other hand, had. It was something he had sorely missed too. He had so missed that soft inquiring voice that either called him 'Sir' or 'Colonel'. He had forgotten just how much he'd really missed it until today, when he was reminded of its pull over his emotions. The way Carter had uttered it always sounded so...damn...

He closed his eyes and allowed his mind to wander. It would only be a matter of days or weeks now until he could be with her again, and suddenly the world couldn't spin fast enough for him.

"_Jack?"_

"_Hmmm?"_

"_Jack!"_

"_What?" _Jack replied testily.

"_What did you want?"_

"_Huh?"_

Kanan sighed, and Jack could almost see him putting imaginary hands on his imaginary hips.

"_Wake up lover boy! It was you who woke me up, remember?"_

"_I did? Oh yeah. Give me a clue here Hiss. I wanna know when you plan on..."_

"_Uh uh! No way! You'll only make plans, and it has to look genuine."_

"_No I won't."_

"_Yes you will!"_

"_I won't!"_

"_Will!"_

"_Not."_

"_Jack, shut up! I'm not warning you when I'm going to 'kill' you, so forget it!"_

"_Fine! Go back to sleep! Useless worm!"_

There was no response from Kanan; he had shut himself off from Jack's insult and retreated into the background.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

YESTERDAY.

by Lingren.

**_Italics_**...indicate the internal conversation between the host and his Tok'ra symbiote.

_Previously: _

There was no response from Kanan; he had shut himself off from Jack's insult and retreated into the background.

Chapter 10

NINETEEN DAYS LATER.

It was a clean-shaven John Ryan that slipped from the limousine and entered the glass building that towered above him. He'd already had his hair trimmed short ready to resume his rightful place in the military, and to look the part too. Now he just had to bide his time and wait for Kanan. His entourage surrounded him as he headed for the elevator to his private penthouse suite. He'd just returned from a visit to the White House to discuss the future of the SGC with the President.

Jack shucked off his jacket, hanging it on the back of the chair and pulled his tie loose, before undoing the top button of his shirt. He stood and gazed out of the vast window overlooking the city below, then slid the patio door open and stepped onto the balcony beyond.

It had been almost three weeks since he'd visited the SGC, and still Kanan hadn't clued him in on when his 'death' would occur, and it was eating him alive not knowing when. Kanan had remained fairly low key and Jack supposed he was bracing himself for all the work he would have to do to preserve his life, while maintaining a cover of appearing dead to the outside world.

"_Kanan?" _He asked in a pleading voice.

"_Sorry Jack, no can do. You will have to be patient. You must relax more. It won't help if you're too tense."_

"_It's not knowing when, that's making me tense. It's been weeks now! Everything has been sorted. We're just waiting on you."_

"_Soon Jack. Be patient!"_

"_I'm missing my team already." _ He whined._ "We can't leave it too long or everyone will get suspicious! I don't have all that hair to hide my 'youthful' looks behind anymore."_

"_I know. I'm working on it."_

Jack sighed deeply and turned back into the room when his lunch arrived. Meals were oftentimes lonely affairs, despite having Adam for company. Dinner for two usually, though on the odd occasions, he'd had the company of his only real friend in this existence, Teddy Miller as well. He was the only person who knew of his real identity over the interim years.

Ryan made his way over to the small table where his food had been laid out. He was about to take his place when he heard an argument going on in the next room. His curiosity peaked, he went to investigate.

"I must speak to Mr. Ryan!" the stranger's voice shouted. "Let me see him!"

"What do you want to see him about?" asked Adam calmly. He did not intend to allow this man to see Mr. Ryan, not in the half-drunken state he was in, at any rate.

"That's a personal matter. I'm not saying another word until I get to see him!" Demanded the stranger.

"What's goin' on here Adam?" Jack asked, his voice cold and hard. The glare he sent the group at the door would have melted an Arctic winter.

The stranger took advantage of the distraction and broke through the ranks of Adam and the bodyguards. He ran across the room towards Jack, the entourage close on his heels.

Jack tensed his body, waiting, wondering. Alert to any possible danger.

The stranger, a young man in his late twenties came face to face with Jack at the same time that he was wrestled from behind by Adam and a bodyguard. The momentum of the tackle sent him careening in Jack, knocking him backwards quicker than he could react.

Jack hit his head on the wall as he fell and though stunned, he hazily fought back.

There was a scuffle on the floor between all four of them. The young man had grabbed onto Jack's leg as he'd tried to scramble away and wouldn't let go, then he kicked back and caught Adam on the chin, making him see stars, who in turn found himself in the bodyguard's lap. The stranger kicked himself free of Adam's now lax grip and launched himself onto Jack again.

"You Bastard!" he screamed, as they fell back to the floor once more. Jack ended up sprawled on his back with the weight of the younger man pinning him down.

Jack had no idea what he'd done to be labelled so, and didn't know who the young man was, but he fought to rid himself of the burden through the muzzy disorientation; a result from his collision with the wall.

Jack only caught a glimpse of the knife in the man's hand just as it plunged into his chest.

His head fell back, pain etched deep on his features, his hands automatically seeking out to clutch the wound as he gasped inadequately, desperate to suck in a breath.

"_Relax Jack. I've got you. Don't fight me!"_ Kanan soothed, though he was hard pressed to keep Jack breathing evenly.

Jack couldn't think clearly for a moment, as the voice in his head tried to help him, then he recalled his symbiote.

"_Kanan!" _He gasped._ "Is this it? Couldn't you have thought of an 'easier' way?" _he snarked.

"_No Jack! This isn't my doing. I'm sorry. This shouldn't have happened. Trust me! I'll make it right!"_

Kanan's voice floated away as the symbiote concentrated his efforts in stopping Jack's blood from leaking rapidly from his body.

Shaken with the reality of what had just happened, Jack couldn't move. Then just as suddenly, the younger man jerked and crumpled, his body toppling forwards onto Jack and inadvertently pushing the knife in deeper.

Jack couldn't help the strangled cry that wrenched from his lips as his body spasmed in response to the renewed pressure and then the world spun away from him, pushing him over the edge into the darkness.

Adam and the other bodyguards dragged the now unconscious assailant from their employer, and gasped in horror at the sight that greeted them.

Jack lay unconscious; bleeding heavily from a stab wound to his chest. His blood was spilling freely over his white shirt and down onto the beige carpet below.

Adam felt for a pulse against Jack's neck, yelling at the same time. His fingers barely discerning a weak throb and he feared greatly for his employer, knowing they had let him down.

"Get Dr. Miller and an ambulance! Now!"

Someone dashed off to the phone, Adam wasn't sure who it was, he didn't care, just so long as help arrived, and soon, before it was too late.

Adam backed off a little when a towel appeared in front of his face, and gently started to wipe the blood trickling from his nose. In all the concern for Ryan, he'd ignored his own injury. One of the bodyguards took over keeping the pressure on Jack's wound, while a couple of other guards took the unconscious attacker away, and bound his hands and feet to keep him from escaping until the Police arrived.

Moments later a commotion at the door caught Adam's attention and he dragged his eyes away from Ryan's still form to see what was happening.

Edward Miller rushed in to the chaos. Taking in the seriousness of the situation, he wondered if this had been planned beforehand, or if it was as much of a surprise to Jack as it had been to him. He hurried over to Adam and laid a hand on his shoulder in reassurance before he knelt down beside his friend. The others pulled away allowing him access as the Doctor leaned over the inert body and started to check his friend over.

Jack was so pale and still, that Adam, still stunned over the rapid deterioration of events, had thought they were too late to save him anyway.

Mr. Ryan had been like a father to him. He'd taken him off the streets when he was a homeless youth and fed and housed him, giving him a chance that no-one else would. A chance to better himself. He'd put him through college and in turn Adam had become his personal assistant. Speaking for him in public and writing up notes for meetings. He'd never understood his benefactor's wish to remain a recluse, but what he had noticed over the years was that the man never seemed to grow old much. He'd hidden that fact under the beard and long grey hair, both of which had been streaked with white now, though the beard was gone along with the unruly mop of hair making Ryan look so much younger than he should do. Of course, he'd never discussed the matter, even though he knew that Ryan held a secret close to his heart. He knew many things about the man but still never knew the real Ryan.

Dr. Miller insisted that everyone leave the room, including Adam. He instructed one of the guards to take him into the kitchen and clean him up. Miller needed a moment alone. He had to find out if Kanan was okay, and what he was doing about Jack's condition.

"Kanan?" Miller called softly when everyone had left them.

Slowly Jack's eyes opened and glowed dimly.

"I am here Teddy," he replied in his Tok'ra timbre.

"How's Jack?"

"Dying, but I'm working on it."

"Was this your plan?"

"No, but it'll have to do. Are you ready?"

"Y...yes, if that's... Now?"

"We can't allow him to be taken to the hospital. It has to be now!"

"Then do it. The medics will be here any minute!"

"Call Adam!"

Miller turned away and yelled for Jack's aide.

TBC

_Thanks as ever to my loyal reviewers. I hope you enjoyed this angsty chapter…hey, but you should know me by now...this is **never** over until the last chapter, and there's a few more to come yet! _

_Thanks debcole, Froggy and Diane for keeping my spirits up with your kind words. Hugs, you guys!_


	11. Chapter 11

YESTERDAY.

by Lingren.

**_Italics_**...indicate the internal conversation between the host and his Tok'ra symbiote.

_Previously: _

Miller turned away and yelled for Jack's aide.

Chapter 11

The man came hurrying into the room,dropping down by his saviour's side, a band-aid was now slapped across his bruised and bloody nose.

Kanan backed off, and roused Jack, telling him this was it and that he would help give him just enough strength to make it look real.

Jack reached out a shaky hand to lay it on Adam's arm. The younger man latched onto it immediately.

"Adam!" Jack's voice was weak and barely audible.

Adam bent low over his friend and pleaded with his eyes for Ryan to hold on, but deep down he knew it was a hopeless prayer.

"Thanks... It was...a pleasure...my privilege...to know...you," each word Ryan spoke was dragged out and more difficult to utter than the last.

"Mr. Ryan..." Adam started, but Jack had already gasped his last breath and as his head fell to one side, Adam felt the hand that was holding his, slacken and fall limp in his grasp.

"Nooooo!" he cried in anguish, looking up into Miller's eyes. "Please! No!"

Adam wasn't ashamed to shed his tears, and he allowed them to fall now. His guardian had left him; he was all alone again.

Edward Miller bowed and shook his head and silently said goodbye to John Ryan and with all his heart, he hoped that Kanan could work his miracle and sustain Jack until he could return as himself. All he had to do now was complete the paperwork and notify General Hammond.

He stood up awkwardly, his aging body aching with loss, and stepped round the lifeless body to pull Adam into a hug. He held onto the sobbing man as the door burst open again and the guards all stood there dumbfounded at hearing Adam's distress.

Miller glanced their way and shook his head. John Ryan was dead. He'd died of a stab wound at... Edward glanced up at the clock and solemnly noted the time... 12:36hrs.

OoOoOoOoO

THE NEXT DAY.

General Hammond picked up the ringing phone from off the desk in his office.

"Hammond!" he barked into the receiver.

"General Hammond. It's Teddy Miller. Doctor Edward Miller, Mr. Ryan's personal physician. In accordance with my patient's wishes, it is my painful duty to inform you, that he, John Ryan, died yesterday afternoon. According to his Will, you are to arrange his funeral as per your discussion last month?"

General Hammond sucked in a deep breath and willed Kanan to keep Jack from dying in reality, until they could get him to a safe place off-world where he could be revived.

"Dr. Miller, I am very sorry to hear your news and of course I will see to it that Mr. Ryan has his last wishes carried out. Thank you for informing me of your client's demise. If at all possible, I would like to discuss the arrangements with you and Adam as soon as possible. Would you both be available...say, the day after tomorrow at 10:00hrs?"

"I am sure that can be arranged General. Thank you."

"Good. I will send a car to collect you both from the hotel. I look forward to meeting with you. Please send my condolences to Adam."

"I will. Thank you."

Hammond replaced the phone and sat pondering over the news. He couldn't say anything over the phone of course; he'd had to make it sound formal in case the phones in the Doctor's office, or wherever he was, were bugged.

He pressed the intercom.

"Sir?" his aide's voice echoed through the speaker.

"Get me SG-1!"

"Yes sir!"

George sat back in his chair and waited; he locked his fingers together and rested them over his ample midriff. He wondered whether Jack could pull this off, or if it would be too much for his symbiote to cope with. He'd heard about the stabbing of course. The media had covered the news in all the papers, TV and radio.

The media had all speculated on the big question as to why John Ryan was murdered, but no-one had any answers. It was deemed a sudden meaningless and unprovoked attack on a man who had spent his life doing good deeds according to the press reports. Naturally, anything that Ryan had been involved with, right from winning his first million to the unknown amounts of money that had disappeared without trace into the Government's coffers, was fair game for investigation by those wishing to unearth some dirt.

George Hammond knew where those missing millions had gone. Without them, Stargate Command wouldn't exist, and no-one but the Appropriations committee and the President knew about that, and that was how it should be. Of course, it wouldn't stop the media from speculating. Rumours were rife about private funding into all sorts of secrets that were withheld from the public and Ryan it seemed was into everything from Chemical warfare to Space technology. These conjectures were ignored; neither denied nor confirmed which only accentuated their secrecy.

Hammond was startled from his reverie when the knock on the door came. He looked up and beckoned in SG-1.

"Come in people, take a seat."

They had already been warned not to mention any connection with Ryan apart from the fact that they had met him a few weeks ago at his request. No-one save the General and SG-1 had any knowledge about his wish to be buried on a distant planet.

They had all seen the news. The coverage on the cold-blooded murder of such an esteemed and mysterious personage as John Ryan was extensive and far-reaching. They could hardly avoid it. Moreover, every member of SG-1 knew what it had meant, though they were worried sick about the possible outcome. Jack had told them, that Ryan would suffer a heart attack but this, this stabbing was totally unexpected. Was he really dead or was Kanan still keeping him alive despite the odds? They wouldn't know the truth until Dr. Miller could fill them in.

"I am sure you are all aware of the news concerning John Ryan?" Hammond asked, knowing full well they were, but he had to be seen to assume they were ignorant of his proposal. He continued after they had all agreed. "It was discussed after his visit that he wished to be buried on a remote planet and that SG-1 would act as pallbearers and burial party. I have already designated a distant planet, one that is devoid of any inhabitants and isn't on the Abydos cartouche, so therefore hasn't, to our knowledge, been visited by the Goa'uld. His body should be arriving in a few days. You should prepare yourselves for this. Full Military dress will be worn and respects paid at a small ceremony in the gate room before we remove him to his final resting place. I will of course be present during the burial as well."

"Yes sir!" Sam answered, seeking reassurance from him as to whether or not he knew if Jack had survived the attack. "Is there any..."

"I have no further news at this point, Major. I am expecting Adam and Dr. Miller the day after tomorrow at 10:00 hrs though, so I may know some more details then," he informed them, covering his message to them as subtly as possible, meaning that he didn't know anything more at this point in time.

OoOoOoOoO

TWO DAYS LATER.

"Why am I here?" Adam asked Edward Miller as they stood patiently in the elevator that was dropping down to the 26th floor below Cheyenne Mountain entrance.

"Because General Hammond wants to finalise the funeral arrangements for Mr. Ryan," Teddy explained, though not very specifically, because their escort was an unknown SF.

"Yes, that's all very well; but why am **I** here. I know nothing of Mr. Ryan's last wishes."

"I know that Adam. Please, be patient. I really don't know any more than you do at this point. Apparently Mr. Ryan had arranged all this with the General when you visited a while ago."

"It must have been when I left the room then, because he never mentioned anything to me. Not even afterwards," Adam sighed sadly. Yet again, Mr. Ryan had kept more secrets from him. The man had been a complete enigma.

"I think it was most likely that Mr. Ryan wasn't expecting to die any time just yet," Edward sighed. He missed his friend very much, and would do so in the future, knowing Jack wouldn't be able to contact him for fear of being recognised. How do you explain the firm companionship that existed with an apparent complete stranger? Especially one who looked so startlingly familiar. There was no way round it. His friend had died, and he would have to live with that.

The doors opened and Sam was there to meet them. Adam remembered her and smiled in greeting.

"Major Carter! How are you? Good to see you again." Adam shook her hand warmly.

Sam liked the man. Anyone that held such a fondness for his employer such as Adam had for Jack was okay in her book.

"This is Dr. Edward Miller. Mr. Ryan's personal physician when he was...alive," Adam's voice dropped to a whispered croak and Sam realised just how upset he was over Ryan's death.

"How do you do?" Miller responded by reaching out to shake her hand too.

"Hello Doctor. Would you come this way please? The General is waiting for you."

Sam led the way into the briefing room, then into the General's office, shutting the door behind her.

TBC

_Many thanks of course to all of you who reviewed the last chapter. I really do appreciate all your comments. I'm glad you are all still enjoying this._


	12. Chapter 12

YESTERDAY.

by Lingren.

**_Italics_**...indicate the internal conversation between the host and his Tok'ra symbiote.

_Previously: _

Sam led the way into the briefing room, then into the General's office, shutting the door behind her.

Chapter 12

There were several chairs crammed in the available space, and Adam and Edward were invited to sit down in the two vacant ones. They did so, but Adam and the Doctor were puzzled as to why all these people were here. Adam knew who they were but Miller didn't, so the General introduced him to the team.

"Right!" Hammond began. "Let's get down to business shall we? Dr. Miller, can you assure me that you know all the relevant details of what we are about to reveal?"

"Yes General Hammond. Mr. Ryan and I discussed it thoroughly."

"That's good. Adam, I have something to tell you that I think you will find very difficult to understand. Because of your close association with the late Mr. Ryan, the President has decided that you should be offered a position within the SGC, considering the type of work that you have been attending to for your Patron."

Adam looked stunned.

"I am?" he gasped. He had thought that he would be out on the streets again, but the good Doctor had taken him in for the time being until after the funeral. Up to that point, he didn't have the foggiest notion of what he was going to do for the rest of his life.

"Indeed!" the tall dark man said, and Adam recognised him as Teal'c.

"First of all though we have quite a story to tell you..."

The General was right, Adam agreed, it was difficult to take in all at once. Aliens, some good and some bad, really existed out there; and that these people actually went out into the stars to meet with them, or fight them whichever. He was even more stunned, right along with Edward, when it was revealed that Teal'c was an alien too. Though Adam had a bigger shock in store for him, when the General started to explain that Mr. Ryan wasn't dead after all...at least Hammond hoped he wasn't.

"How long had you known Mr. Ryan?" Hammond asked.

"A number of years, actually. He...er found me living rough on the streets when I was a teenager. We got chatting and he asked me if I would like an opportunity to better myself. Well, who wouldn't? He took me in and sent me to college, where I studied Economics and Business. After I graduated, he gave me a job as his personal aide. That was...just over 24 years ago now."

"So you think you knew Mr. Ryan pretty well?"

"I liked to think I did, but I'm beginning to wonder if I ever really knew him at all? He was like a father to me; treated my like I was his son!"

Daniel shifted uncomfortably and looked at Sam with a sadness in his eyes, that Adam couldn't understand exactly.

"I have to tell you a story Adam. It's a long one and it might confuse you, but I believe you should understand it fairly well. It's about a man called Colonel Jack O'Neill. He worked here along with Major Carter, Dr. Jackson, and Teal'c. They were a team, a bit like a family in a way, until one day when the Colonel became very sick and almost died. The only way to save his life was to have an alien inhabit his body and cure the virus. After he recovered, he had to share his body with that same alien which we call a Tok'ra. You can't tell if it's there just by looking, but it is possible to tell in other ways. Colonel O'Neill could communicate with it inside his head. One day just recently as you know, the Colonel disappeared and we believed him to have died."

Adam's eyes were as big as saucers as the General continued.

"Colonel O'Neill was a good man and a well respected soldier. We all thought a great deal of him. The day Mr. Ryan visited us here; we were still in mourning as well you know..."

Again, Adam acknowledged that he was still with them in the seemingly unrelated story.

"When Mr. Ryan asked you to leave the room, he did so because he needed to talk to us about something private..."

"His funeral arrangements. I understand that now..."

"There was that too, but he revealed to us a secret that he had hidden from everyone except Dr. Miller for the past 40 years."

"He did?" gasped Adam, looking at Teddy now with a frown. "I always felt there was something about Mr. Ryan, though I wouldn't have asked him to reveal what it was I couldn't quite figure out. Is... Does all this have something to do with that secret?" Adam asked, puzzled as to whether he should be told what his benefactor had so carefully hidden from him for so long, and how come these people seemed to know about it too?

"A Tok'ra symbiote, the alien, has the ability to halt the aging process in its host. It also has the ability to heal any injuries or diseases that its host picks up along the way as it were. Colonel O'Neill's Tok'ra, Kanan, was no different, and when Jack O'Neill was declared, Missing in Action, presumed dead, he was in fact very much alive; only we didn't know that at the time. You see the Colonel didn't die as a result of an accident, instead of arriving back in the gate room as he should have done, the Stargate was hit by a powerful surge of electricity from a bolt of lightning and unfortunately it also coincided with a sun spot, which had an adverse affect on the gate and Jack O'Neill was thrown out of the gate alive, hurt a little but he found he'd travelled back in time to 1963. Since then, because he had no way to return to his own time line, he has lived the life of a recluse; making a lot of money, which he used to fund the Stargate programme. He changed his name to J..."

"John Ryan?" Adam cried incredulously.

Hammond nodded, smiling. Adam was quick, he'd give him that.

"John Ryan had to appear to 'die' because now Jack is back to where he should be as regards time; he needs to resume his own life again. Do you understand that? He couldn't tell anyone about his alien symbiote."

"I heard him sometimes. He talked to himself...a lot, but I never thought anything of it. Just..."

"You thought he was a little nutty?" Daniel filled in for him, grinning as Adam nodded guiltily. "Yeah, that sounds like Jack and Kanan."

"It will be arranged that Jack in Mr. Ryan's coffin will be brought here on Friday morning and his body will be taken to a safe planet. There he will be laid to rest and everyone will return to Earth. Kanan will revive him and Jack will join us again a few days later, and no-one will be any the wiser except us."

"He will? Wow, what can I say? I'm absolutely stunned; it's unbelievable. I really can't believe all this! It's...it's like a science fiction story." Adam gasped.

"We know it must feel like we're pulling your leg, but it is true. The Stargate programme has been running for five years now, and Jack O'Neill was one of the first men to set foot on another world. In fact, Dr. Jackson lived and worked on a distant planet for a year before Jack went through to recall him back to Earth. The members of SG-1, Jack's team, have saved this planet from alien domination and destruction several times over."

"Wow!" Adam was impressed, but rendered speechless.

"As the Jack O'Neill that we know, hates doing his paperwork, we thought that perhaps you would like to continue as his personal aide and keep his reports up to date."

Adam looked pleasantly surprised as well as shocked.

"Really? Please, yes, I would love to. Are you sure that Mr. Ryan...em, sorry...Colonel O'Neill will want me here, as his assistant?"

"Adam, he wanted us to find you a job. He just doesn't know that we're offering you this one, here. If we didn't want you here, then there was no way you would have been told his secret. I am sure he will be delighted to see you again when he discovers you are working for him, especially if it means he can get out of writing his mission reports." Hammond said with a wry smile.

Sam and Daniel sniggered at this and Adam felt himself relax. These people seemed nice, and they obviously thought a lot about Jack, as he would have to call him now, or at least Colonel O'Neill.

OoOoOoOoO

FRIDAY.

There was a small public funeral service held at the local church. There weren't many people among the congregation that could claim they were friends with John Ryan, most were merely business associates known by name only over the telephone. Ryan had stipulated that his passing would be a reflection of his life style, quiet and unaccompanied by any trappings of a wealthy society type funeral. He hadn't wanted hordes of people, most of whom he never knew, to attend just because he was a well-known figure; that wasn't the man he was. There was a representative of the President among the mourners as well as one or two politicians. Ryan's loyal staff members were there in force as well as Dr. Miller and Adam who had to pretend to be filled with grief. The members of SG-1 or General Hammond did not attend because they weren't among Ryan's small circle of acquaintances, at least not officially, and they would be having their own memorial ceremony later.

After the service, those that were present consoled each other as much as they could, then the cortege left for Cheyenne Mountain accompanied by Adam and Dr. Miller only, for a very private burial.

The sombre members of SG-1 and General Hammond met the coffin at the entrance to the mountain and bore the remains of their benefactor to the elevator. The hearse and the limousine then departed and whilst waiting for the car to reach level 28, the mood was one of relief.

Sam found it difficult to look at the coffin that bore her dearest friend, the man she loved. It was plain that the last time she had seen him, that he still loved her, but he was that much older now; he had lived another 40 years in between their last meeting and their one and only evening out as a couple.

She wondered if they could they still carry on as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, just because it was only a few weeks ago to her that they had gone out for a wonderful meal after catching a movie and declaring their undying love. Her feelings were running a gamut of seesawing thoughts and emotions, unsure if they could put his recent past behind them.

The doors slid open to reveal an empty corridor and the team carried their friend to the gate room. Hammond had stipulated that the place be free of any unauthorised personnel; the less people knew about this the better. The service was short and conducted with great respect for the SGC's benefactor. Hammond then ordered the Technician to dial up the designated planet.

They watched in silence as the chevrons lit up almost sombrely as if it knew this was a poignant occasion. Once the wormhole had established the party moved off into the event horizon with the earthly remains of the Stargate Command's main sponsor, to the strains of the last post and the salute from the SGC personnel.

TBC

_Thanks for your reviews guys, they're always much appreciated. Sorry, but you'll have to wait a little longer for the fluff, but there will be some soon; just bear with me a while._


	13. Chapter 13

YESTERDAY.

by Lingren.

**_Italics_**...indicate the internal conversation between the host and his Tok'ra symbiote.

_Previously: _

They watched in silence as the chevrons lit up almost sombrely as if it knew this was a poignant occasion. Once the wormhole had established the party moved off into the event horizon with the earthly remains of the Stargate Command's main sponsor, to the strains of the last post and the salute from the SGC personnel.

Chapter 13

They found the plot reserved for Ryan and lowered the coffin into the previously dug grave. General Hammond had ordered SG-1 to dig the grave beforehand, well, Teal'c anyway,and they had taken through the supplies necessary for Jack's return. It was all carried out in secret and without arousing any suspicions. Now they left the Doctor to open the lid and try to rouse Kanan.

Edward Miller was a little freaked at first, coming face to face with his dead friend. Ryan was beyond pale but not as grey as his actual death would have left him. He tapped Ryan's cheek calling out to the Tok'ra inside the still body.

"Kanan!"

A moment or two later, the corpse opened its eyes which glowed eerily making Teddy shrink back a little. He had seen and spoken to Kanan before but it still came as a bit of a shock that this lifelong friend was supposedly dead and was now 'waking up' as it were.

"Dr. Miller!"

"How is he?"

"I have healed the wound, though he is weakened from the loss of blood."

"Okay, I'll try and warn the medical staff to be prepared. Tell him we'll be waiting for him. Everything he needs is here, and good luck," Miller said, and then more pensively he whispered. "See you soon my friend."

He left the Tok'ra to revive his host and joined the others back at the Stargate to return to earth. The fact that he was standing on another world was lost on him. He was too caught up in his emotions to take much note of his surroundings, and the trip was over before he'd really registered the fact.

OoOoOoOoO

"_Jack! C'mon buddy time to wake up!"_

Jack groaned and tried to roll over but found himself confined.

"What the...?"

"_Jack, it's okay. You are in a coffin. Remember? You're alive, you're okay!"_

"_I am? God...I don't feel it!"_

"_Give it a few minutes, and you will."_

"_You certainly picked a hell of a way for me to die, Hiss! Why? Whatever happened to the supposed heart attack?"_

"_Someone beat me to it Jack. Some crazy guy stabbed you and I was hard put to stop you from actually dying!"_

"_Don't remind me, though I don't really remember much about it; just pain and it was hard to breathe."_

"_That's not surprising. Anyway, time to get up and get yourself changed. Everything you need is waiting for you so just...move your butt!"_

"_Is that any way to speak to the dead?"_

"_Hah! You don't look very dead to me. But then again you don't look very much like you are alive either right now. You will feel a bit weak for a while. They don't normally perform blood transfusions on the dear departed, so you're a little bit short of the red stuff."_

"_Great!" _Jack muttered._ "I told you we should have gone with the plans earlier, and then I wouldn't have this problem."_

"_Just shift your ass so we can get home where Doc Frasier will be waiting with a fresh supply!"_

Jack dragged himself from the confines of the coffin and suppressed a shudder when he thought about his own mortality and the weirdness of rising from the dead. He dressed in his BDU's and vest, before closing the lid on his coffin and burying it under the mound of soil to look as if it had been a normal funeral. He sat there for a while, exhausted and sweaty from the labour of shovelling dirt when he felt so weak. When he'd finally regained his breath and had sufficiently stopped shaking from the effort, he clipped on his P-90 and proceeded the hundred or so metres to the Stargate.

General Hammond's promise was as good as his word and Jack had found the slip of paper with the co-ordinates inside a pocket in his suit. He punched in the glyphs and took a deep breath, then rushed headlong through the event horizon, knowing he was going to hit the other side hard, but it was necessary to have some sort of bruising to show for his 'recent' tumble.

P7X 592 was one planet that hadn't yet been explored. He was the first person from Earth to actually set foot on its soil. Jack's intention was to find something on the other side that he could pretend to injure himself on, but, the best-laid plans don't always work.

He shot out of the wormhole rapidly and then he found himself flying. As he fell, the old proverb...'look before you leap!'... echoed though his mind at the same time that he yelled.

Everyone knew that when you ran into the wormhole that joined two worlds together, you exited like a bullet, even more so when the ride through was a rough one.

And Jack had a wild ride alright.

The experience of this always held a thrill for him. Sometimes not knowing what was on the other side was a bonus, at other times a disappointment.

This was one of those bonus times.

Jack discovered that fact the hard way. Had he known what was waiting for him on the other side, he would have taken it at a more leisurely pace. However, he needed something to claim that he had been injured when he was thrown from the gate, and now...well, now he had his proof of a hard landing!

After landing awkwardly, he lay stunned and in considerable pain at the bottom of a steep rocky incline, battered and broken. It was too steep for him to be able to climb out unassisted, he would need some rope and someone to haul him back up the 20 feet or so again. He moved to sit up and take a look around him, but pain lanced through his head, side and shoulder and encouraged the darkness to clamour for his consciousness.

"Ah crap!" was the last conscious thought he had before he fell into the dark abyss.

"_You can...say that...again!" _Kanan's voice echoed faintly before fading from Jack's unconscious mind, and then he too was enveloped by the dark.

OoOoOoOoO

FRIDAY EVENING.

General Hammond stared down into the gate room through the control room window, his gaze fixed on the group gathered there ready for their next mission. They were there for a mission to an unexplored planet, but he knew they would find something very interesting there, more so thanany strange landscape. Though of course, he couldn't tell them that. He had delayed the departure as long as he could but now he had to let them go, hoping that they would find their 'surprise' relatively near to the gate. He was more or less expecting them back within the hour.

The loudness of the kwooosh as the gate exploded into existence dragged him from his reverie. Major Thompson glanced up at the window anticipating the General's order.

"SG-8, you have a go. Good luck out there people and God speed!"

"Thank you sir!" Thompson replied with a smart salute. "SG-8, move out!"

The four team members walked into the event horizon and disappeared from the General's view. Moments later the wormhole winked out and the room fell quiet.

Hammond's eyes were still glued to the now idle gate; he couldn't help but think of what the Major's reaction would be when they discovered Jack there. Providing of course, that Kanan had managed to revive the Colonel in time, if at all. He could only wait and see, but as he knew from past experience in this assignment, waiting was never the easiest thing to do. It hadn't gotten any easier over the years, in fact it had became harder. Each and every member, no matter to which team they belonged, had grown to be a good friend, and as Jack's 'dying' had proved, his level of attachment was far greater than in any ordinary command situation.

You couldn't keep sending good men and women out there to face the constant dangers that they did and see them come home again either wounded, or in many cases dead, without feeling something. How he had kept doing it year after year, he didn't know? Nevertheless, he knew from bitter experience that until the right time and right person came along, he would continue to do so.

The few days under General Bauer had taught them a lesson never to trust a complete outsider to know how things worked at the SGC; and for this reason, he was fully expecting Jack to fill his shoes one day. Now he was assured that with all that Jack had gone through for the past 40 years that he was indeed the right man for the job; providing he was alive and discovered by SG-8.

TBC

_Thanks once again to all of you who reviewed. Just acouple more chapters to go, then I will have another treat for you...one I'm currently working on which some of you may have already read the first parts...namely Junior._


	14. Chapter 14

YESTERDAY.

by Lingren.

**_Italics_**...indicate the internal conversation between the host and his Tok'ra symbiote.

_Previously: _

Now he was assured that with all that Jack had gone through for the past 40 years that he was indeed the right man for the job; providing he was alive and discovered by SG-8.

Chapter 14

When Major Thompson stumbled quickly from the wormhole's rough ride his subordinates immediately restrained him.

"Whoa! What's up guys?" he asked puzzled by his team-mates reactions.

"Big drop down there sir. Dennison nearly took a tumble. Jones managed to stop him from taking a nose dive," Captain Baker informed him.

Thompson stepped nearer to the jagged edge of the gate platform cautiously, and peered down into the gorge, along side the others.

"Wow!" he sighed heavily, grateful that his team stopped him in time.

"That could have been nasty," Baker stated.

"No kiddin'!" Dennison gasped, thinking the same thing, and silently thanking his team-mate for saving his ass.

A noise behind them startled them and as one they spun round, bringing their P-90's up in defence.

The lone figure that stood cautiously eyeing them up, stepped back in panic, his eyes wide in distrust as he took in their weapons pointed at his chest.

"Dennison, you're on! Make nice with the native."

"Hi! Em...we're not gonna hurt you. We're from the planet Earth! Friends!" he said, trying to recall what Dr. Jackson had taught him to say.

It wasn't working so far.

The native stood there watching his every move.

Dennison dropped his weapon, leaving it to dangle from the strap around his neck and spread his hands wide in a gesture of openness.

Still, the native stood silently.

Dennison turned to his team-mates in frustration.

"I wish Daniel were here, he'd know what to say and do."

"Yeah, well Dr. Jackson ain't here, so like I said...make nice already!"

"Like I'm not tryin'?" Dennison sighed, and turned back to the alien. "Daniel!" he muttered aloud. "Where the hell are you?"

"Dan...yell?" the native stuttered, pointing to Dennison.

"He's a mimic!" Jones laughed at Dennison's failing efforts.

Joe Dennison sighed again and scratched his head; this was getting them nowhere, fast.

"Lt. Dennison!" he said pointing to his own chest. Then he indicated the rest of his team. "Major Thompson, Lt. Jones, Captain Baker."

The Lieutenant then pointed a finger at the native and asked him his name.

"Dan...yell," he nodded turning to point behind him to the distant hills.

The young warrior beckoned to them with both hands.

"Dan...yell!" he repeated and stepped backwards indicating that they follow him.

"Sir...I think he wants us to follow him!"

"Really? What made you think that?" Thompson jibed.

"Well, maybe it was the hand gestures sir," Dennison replied wryly.

"No kiddin'? Boy, you're sharp today!" the Major quipped. "Lead on Lieutenant."

The four soldiers followed in the native's wake and every now and then, the young warrior would check over his shoulder to see if they were still there.

He led them a fair distance through the pleasant landscape, probably about five miles from the gate, so the Major discerned, when they came upon a village.

The other inhabitants came out to see the procession. They rarely got to see outsiders.

Thompson never relinquished the hold on his P-90, neither did Jones or Baker, but Dennison hadn't bothered to stay on the alert, walking instead with his hands resting lightly over the butt of his gun in a relaxed pose. He didn't want to frighten these people any more than they already were. Most of the villagers that they passed, eyed them with suspicion. Mothers hid their children behind their backs and hovered near their huts. The men were more curious than alarmed, but Dennison read a warning in their faces.

"I don't think these people will do us any harm sir. I think we can lighten up a little," he said gesturing at their guns.

"Dan...yell," the native said again and pushed Dennison towards the door of a hut.

Thompson was immediately on guard again, and brought his weapon up into the native's face.

The little man jumped back in horror, looking scared stiff, but he smiled pleasantly and pointed to the door again, nodding.

Dennison pushed the gun away from the man and calmed his CO down.

"It's okay sir. I don't think he intends any harm."

Thompson sighed.

"Okay, but only you go in. If it's safe we'll enter too."

"Yes sir."

Dennison entered the hut and squinted around the dark interior. He could make out a low cot against one wall but that was all there was. He turned back to the native who had joined him with a frown.

"Dan...yell!" he grinned, pointing towards the cot.

Dennison peered at the cot again and this time could barely discern a shape, lying there.

The native pushed him towards it still smiling widely.

He approached the bed cautiously and the dark shape morphed into a man.

"Oh my God!" he gasped. "Major!" he yelled over his shoulder loudly.

Thompson dashed into the hut, his gun held high ready for action. However, when he entered into the darkness, he only saw Dennison kneeling down beside a bed, the native beaming widely hovering at his side. He gingerly made his way over to him.

"What the hell Lieutenant?"

Dennison's beaming face turned towards his CO as he approached.

"Sir, it's Colonel O'Neill!"

OoOoOoOoO

SATURDAY MORNING.

General Hammond leapt to his feet as soon as the klaxons began their wailing. He was down the steps to the control room before the gate had even stopped spinning.

He watched anxiously, whilst trying not to appear too eager. The gate exploded with a rush and he turned to the technician for confirmation.

"It's SG-8 sir."

He had to look astonished; they officially weren't due back for another 12 hours yet.

"Open the Iris," he commanded. "Then get a medical team down there. They're too early, there must be something wrong."

The sergeant called the medical team after opening the trinium shield covering the open wormhole.

Hammond calmed his racing thoughts. They were much later than he had anticipated. If they had met up with Jack near the gate, then they should have been back hours ago. The dread which had settled in the pit of his stomach solidified as the team stepped through the gate carrying Jack on a home made stretcher. Hammond's heart dropped to his shoes with concern.

Major Thompson looked up and caught the General's eye.

"Sir! Look who we found?" he grinned, as they lowered the Colonel to the ramp.

Dr. Frasier came hurrying into the gate room and her heart stuttered and palpitated loudly in her throat at the sight of the man they had all assumed to be dead.

Snapping from her shock, she moved in to examine him.

"Major, explain?" Hammond gasped as he looked down at the supine figure of his 2IC after he'd hurried into the room.

It's a long story sir. The natives had him in a hut, and they didn't know what to do with him. It's my guess that he fell and injured himself as he exited the gate sir. There's a fair drop in front of the DHD and the wormhole gave us a rough ride. If he shot out of it anything faster than we did, then he wouldn't have stood a chance."

Hammond vaguely wondered why Kanan hadn't healed him, but then maybe the Tok'ra had also been injured, or perhaps he was dead. He wouldn't know the answer to that until Jack was examined by the Doctor.

"Very well Major. We'll debrief now."

"Yes sir!" the Major answered smartly.

Janet soon had Jack lying on a gurney and they rushed him away to the infirmary.

General Hammond turned and called up to the technician behind the glass of the control room.

"Have SG-1 paged to the briefing room!" he ordered.

"Yes sir!" the sergeant grinned. It would be his pleasure.

Jack O'Neill, the scourge of the SGC was back.

TBC

_A big 'Thank you' to everyone who reviewed, your comments are much welcome and appreciated._

_Just one more chapter to come folks...with the long awaited fluff._


	15. Chapter 15

_So here it is…the final chapter. I hope you all enjoy it. A very big thank you to everyone of you who reviewed and to everyone who read this. I am honoured._

_A couple of you have mentioned part of the story's similarity to a certain film, which I must admit I saw back in 1980? when I was still in my youth and had since forgotten, but as I said it must have made a big impact on me. For those of you who wonder what the heck I'm talking about the movie is called...'The Final Countdown' staring Kirk Douglas. I checked it out again the other day and now see where they're coming from. Hope you all enjoyed it anyway._

YESTERDAY.

by Lingren.

**_Italics_**...indicate the internal conversation between the host and his Tok'ra symbiote.

_Previously: _

Jack O'Neill, the scourge of the SGC was back.

Chapter 15

When Sam, Daniel and Teal'c entered the briefing room, they found SG-8 seated at the table with General Hammond.

"Sir?" Sam asked, looking puzzled. Hope rose in her breast, but the sombre look on Hammond's face squashed it before it had taken root.

"Please be seated SG-1. I have some startling news for you," Hammond began.

They sat down at the other end of the table next to SG-8.

"General? What's this...?" Daniel began, but Hammond held a hand up to stop the flood of questions about to erupt from the Archaeologist.

"There's good news and there's bad news," he started.

Sam's heart dropped into her boots. She knew that they must have found Jack, but it sounded like they were too late. She held her breath, waiting on tenterhooks for the General to spit it out.

"The good news is...that SG-8 has located Colonel O'Neill," he said pausing for it to sink in. "The bad news is that he was injured and we don't know why Kanan hasn't yet been able to heal him."

Both Sam and Daniel's features had turned from open joy to cloudy concern in a heartbeat.

"What happened to him? I mean we thought he'd died when the wormhole collapsed?" Daniel spoke, breaking the tense atmosphere that had settled over the gathering. He was trying to sound as if he was shocked at the news that Jack was had been found, even though he knew it was supposed to happen. The news about his being injured meant that something had obviously gone wrong and worse still, that something had happened to the Tok'ra symbiote. How would Jack fair now? He wondered.

"We don't know yet Dr. Jackson. He's still unconscious at the moment, and Dr. Frasier is busy trying to find out why,"

"Sir. Permission to..." Sam begged, already on her feet in expectation.

"Granted Major."

Sam was out of the door in a flash, Daniel hot on her heels. Teal'c hurried as much as his decorum allowed.

General Hammond gave a sad smile at their haste, and then turned to see the grinning faces of SG-8. He brought the debriefing to order again, though his mind was elsewhere.

OoOoOoOoO

Sam sat and chewed her knuckles and Daniel paced the hallway. Teal'c maintained an outward calm, though he found the tension emanating from his Tau'ri friends almost unbearable. He held his peace though, because he knew from experience that each member of his team relieved their frustration by these methods.

It had seemed an age before Janet poked her head round the door.

"How is he?"

"Can we see him?"

Janet laughed at their clamour. She knew they would be over the moon to get Jack back. Who wouldn't be?

"Okay, okay!" she cried, trying to think straight. He's awake, and in some discomfort, but he'll be fine. Kanan was knocked out too when the Colonel hit his head from the fall..."

"Fall? What fall?"

Janet sighed.

"I guess that means you didn't wait to be told all the facts, right?"

"Apparently he tumbled through a different Stargate than this one and fell over a cliff, where he received several injuries. A blow to the head knocked them both out. But not before he realised he had broken a couple of ribs and dislocated his shoulder. Without Kanan's help his shoulder did sustain some ligament damage, but he's fixing that as we talk. The ribs are okay now as is the head injury. He has an old wound that Kanan had obviously heeled before at some stage, but his blood pressure is low, and it needs to be monitored which means he needs a lot of rest, but I guess I can let you in for a few minutes."

Sam hugged her friend on the way past but her thoughts were all centred on Jack.

Jack looked up when the door opened to admit his team. He beamed at them as they approached his bed.

"Hi kids. I'm back!"

"Yes sir. It's good to have you back sir." Sam grinned, and Jack read the unspoken welcome in her eyes.

"Yeah, welcome back Jack!" Daniel said a little overawed. He really thought he had lost his friend a few weeks ago, and now here he was almost whole again.

"It is indeed good to see you again O'Neill," Teal'c rumbled in his deep voice.

"It's great to be back guys. You have no idea how good this is! I could even kiss Frasier!"

"I heard that Colonel. It must have been bad then for you to feel that way inclined," Janet laughed. "I think I should check on your temperature while I'm here, maybe you have a temperature?"

"I'm fine Doc, and you sure are a sight for sore eyes, ya know?"

"It's only been a few weeks Colonel," she replied dryly.

"Feels like all of 40 years to me Doc!"

Janet laughed again as she dropped his wrist back onto the bed.

"How's Kanan doing?" she asked.

Jack dropped his head and allowed Kanan to answer for himself.

"I am recovered fully Doc. Jack's shoulder is healing nicely now, everything else is fine.

"That's great Kanan. Keep up the good work!"

"I will try to Doc, but Jack is making me work overtime."

"I know the feeling well!" Janet quipped, making Sam and Daniel laugh.

Kanan relinquished control back to Jack again who frowned at their mirth.

"He's no picnic either!" he grumbled.

"_Hassak!"_

"_Slime butt!"_

"Well, no matter whether you're healed or not. I suggest you get some rest Colonel. Your temperature is still a little high. And yes, I know Kanan will get round to it in a while, but I will be a lot happier if you rest while he works on the problem. I could of course give you a sedative...now where's that extra large hypodermic I had earlier? It's got your name written all over it," she muttered.

Jack looked horrified for a moment, and then dared her to try it.

Janet got that gleam in her eye, but before she could manoeuvre away from him, he had grabbed her and kissed her.

Janet shrieked in alarm at first, but calmed down after he'd released her and she blushed to her roots when two of her nurses walked passed giggling having witnessed her unbecoming behaviour, or rather the Colonel's.

"Colonel!" she gasped. "Behave!"

"I did warn you!" he said grinning.

Sam and Daniel were in hysterics by now and leaning on each other for support. Even Teal'c's lips quivered in amusement.

Janet shot him a frown of disapproval but he merely grinned again.

"It's just so good to be back Doc, even in here."

OoOoOoOoO

MONDAY MORNING.

Sam found Jack in the commissary early in the morning, eating breakfast like there was nothing that tasted better.

"Hi!" she said as she pulled out the chair opposite and sat down.

He beamed at her and as there was no-one around his hand wandered across the table to settle lightly on hers, not that he cared any more.

"Hi!"

"Ready to get back to work?"

"Yeahsureyoubechya!"

Sam felt awkward. How could she ask if things would still be the same between them after he'd lived for so long without her?

"Soooo..." she began, though she didn't have a clue how to continue.

"So!" he said. "Sam..." How could he say that he missed her so much it hurt? How could she love him still? For cryin' out loud, he was 40 years older than when they had decided to be an item together.

"Jack...I... I missed you so much."

He smiled lovingly at her then, his eyes misting up with emotion. He dropped his spoon into the half-finished bowl of cereal and took both of her hands in his.

"I can't even begin to tell you how much the memory of you kept me from... Well, I couldn't live without you Sam. If it hadn't been for Kanan..." He shrugged, unable to put voice to his darkest thoughts.

"That's all gone now Jack. You're back and that's all that matters. I don't care how old you are, you still look the same. You're still the same person. I still love you!" she whispered.

Jack beamed, and squeezed her fingers.

"Are you finished?" she asked, indicating his breakfast going soggy in the bowl.

"Yeah, I'm full anyway, he said pushing it away."

She looked at the bowl of wasted fruit loops and up at Jack's face with puzzlement.

Jack shrugged guiltily.

"That was my second bowl anyway," he admitted. "Mr. Ryan always had a cooked breakfast," he explained. "I missed these, but I forgot how filling they were."

She giggled and pulled him towards the door.

"There's someone who'd like to see you."

"There is?"

They walked down the corridor as if nothing had happened, just as they had nearly everyday before. Jack was accosted at nearly every step he took by shocked personnel who hadn't heard of his return, but apart from that they eventually made it to Jack's office.

A man was bending over the desk with his back to the door when they entered.

"Colonel, General Hammond has authorised you to have your very own personal aide," Sam announced.

The man turned round and gasped.

"Adam!" Jack breathed softly.

"Mr. Ry... I mean Colonel O'Neill..."

"No!" Jack snapped, cutting Adam off with a raised hand.

Sam thought for one minute that Jack was mad that Adam was here.

"Not Colonel O'Neill. Not to you Adam. Just Jack will do fine."

Jack stepped up to the shaken man and embraced him.

At first, Adam was stiff and tentative, but as Jack's genuine pleasure at seeing him and his warmth seeped into him, he relaxed and greeted his former benefactor with an enthusiastic hug, and with tears smarting behind his eyes.

"Do I get a greeting like that too?" a deep voice said from the doorway.

Jack released Adam who was grinning wide enough to split his face in two, though he also had to wipe away his few tears too. The Colonel spun round to come face to face with Teddy, his old friend.

"You're here, both of you?" Jack was so pleased he hugged Teddy Miller then clapped him on the shoulder afterwards. "I can't believe this!"

"We're real, I assure you. Are you?"

"Oh yeah! Though I think I'm gonna wake up in the infirmary any minute to find it has all been one wacky, wacky delirious dream."

"It's no dream sir. This is real."

Sam stepped up to him, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. He responded with enthusiasm.

"Yeah, this sure feels real!" he muttered before capturing her lips again.

"I think this is where we leave them to carry on Adam," the Doctor stated with a smile, then ushered the younger man out into the corridor. He took one last look, shaking his head, and then shut the door behind him. He'd never seen the man so happy before, and knew that this was the right thing to do. Now his friend could live again.

"If this is real, then I must be in heaven," Jack whispered in Sam's ear, when they were alone.

"If you're in heaven then I must be there too. After that mission, I never..." his finger on her lips stopped her words.

"Shhh! Did anyone ever tell you, you think waaaay too much Carter?"

"Yes sir, you did..." she paused. "A life time ago!"

"Oh no! That's what we have to look forward to now Sam. A life time together."

Jack pulled her closer and she melted into his arms, then their lips met again.

"_And about time too!" Kanan cheered. "Can I tell Daniel now?"_

The End.

_A new story is all ready to roll. One I am in the middle of writing and is purely a fluffy one with tons of Sam and Jack; and with the odd H/C thrown in for good measure of course or my name's not Lingren. (It is – or was - honest)_


End file.
